Harry Potter and the Dragon's Curse
by Ledger
Summary: Lisbeth has been called upon to uncover information for a mysterious source, but as she begins she finds hersef drawn further and further into the case with it soon becoming personal. She uncovers information about her past she never knew and having to rely on people. The Aurors will soon have to do everything to protect her. FF, Lisbeth x OC.
1. Assignment

Lisbeth sat bolt upright in bed. Her heart was racing and she was covered in a thin film of sweat. She grabbed the clock on her night stand and stared at the time, 3:33am. _3 nighst in a row. _She groaned and laid back down. Lisbeth waited for her heart to slow and her breathing to slow before she tried to drift back to sleep, but that was interrupted by the sound of an email.

The young woman grabbed a coke from the fridge and sat down at her laptop wearing only underwear and wife beater. Blomkvist had sent her an article about a recent string of murders from London to Vienna, Berlin to Stockholm and many more cities. The police knew they were all connected, but were unable to get a suspect. The journalist was asking the hacker to take a look.

_You've peaked my interest. _She wrote back to him and then closed her laptop and crawled under the covers.

Lisbeth entered Dragan's office at around 10:30am the next morning. He had requested her presence even though they had parted ways before he told her that he would contact her if he had any cases that came up she might find intriguing and he knew she'd definitely enjoy this one.

"Good morning, Lisbeth," he said as she sat down in front of his desk, "I've asked you to come in because a case has been brought to me that has stumped all of my other investigators," he opened the file folder, "I thought you might find this one challenging."

"Why is that?"

"This person we are looking for has no known address, phone, social security number, email and so on."

Dragan could Lisbeth's expression change and she sat straight up in her chair leaning towards the file. She then seemed disappointed.

"No photo?" she raised her eyebrows at him.

"None that we know of."

"What is the point of this investigation?" her eyes boring into him.

"I was contacted by an Englishman who had heard of us through a friend. He wishes to remain anonymous, but has stated that his reason for requesting this investigation is he believes to have stolen a number of precious items for his house here in Stockholm."

"And you want me to do what?"

"Track him down," Dragan leaned back in his chair, "You said you wanted field work. Well here you go. I have supplied you with all information you need because to be honest it is also all the information we have. I think the only useful piece of information you'll find in there is the man's address."

As Lisbeth was sliding the folder from the desk she asked, "No police?"

Dragan looked up at her as she began to leave, "The stolen items are I'm told to be of a classified nature and he does not wish to have the police messing around in his affairs."

Lisbeth threw the folder onto the couch and sat down in front of her computer.

_No email. Great._

_No photo. Super._

_No social security number. Fuck._

_No phone. Balls. _

She thought for a minute before grabbing her bag and camera and headed to the train. The address was located in Gamla Stan, Stockholm on the street Prastgatan. One of the oldest sections of the city. It was late when she boarded the train and the usual suspects could always be found on it. She eyed them up and decided no one was a threat.

A young woman stepped into the street, her lighter clicked shut and she took a drag of her cigarette while scanning the area. Winter was coming on, but the streets were still filled with people going about their late night business.

The sky over head was clear and street lamps glowed as the night grew darker. She smiled as smoke billowed from her nose and mouth.

The woman had on slim black jeans, boots lightly laced, a grey thermal and a pea-coat with the collar up turned. Men's clothes were comfortable to her; she had long abandoned women's fashion.

She went to walk across the street when a curious character stepped under on the street lights. The woman stepped back on the side walk and walked into a shadow.

The woman watched the other woman who was dressed mainly in black like herself. She was smaller with a thin frame; the new woman made her way across the street to a house across from her and eyed it up, and examining the exterior of the building.

As she watched she took more drags of her cigarette. From her spot across the street was invisible to this new person and could safely observe. This character continued to examine the building before disappearing down an alley way.

The young woman smiled as she held her place in the dark, her cigarette slowing disappearing.

_Well this is interesting. Who are you? _

Lisbeth stood in a nearby alley way where she could watch the building for a time. There were no other tenants in the building, it seemed to be owned by only one person, and the outer door was old, very old, but strong and could only be opened by a key that was just as old. She knew this was going to take time to plan out. There was no easy way into this building and the information wasn't going to come easy either.

The woman waited a little bit longer before making her way across the street and up to the building. Lisbeth had almost called it a night. It was nearly 3am when she saw movement from a shadow across the street. What she quickly made out to be a woman walked across the street and to the building.

Lisbeth never saw a key go into the door, but within a matter of seconds the woman was in the building. The hacker was quick on her feet and within a few seconds she too was at the door, but it was too late. It was closed and locked.

_Fuck._

The windows were too high to climb into and the street seemed to always be inhabited so she'd be seen. Maybe there was a way around the back?

Lisbeth arrived back at her flat around 4am and quickly sat down at her computer. She uploaded the photos she had taken of the building, the surrounding areas, and the mystery woman. She zoomed in on them and touched them up and for a moment her eyes widened and her heart raced.

The woman in the photo seemed to have turned her eyes slightly towards Lisbeth and from behind the collar of the woman's jacket Lisbeth thought she spotted a slight grin. _I want to know more. _


	2. First Encounter

Lisbeth stared at the photo for a long time before pushing it to the side and lighting up a cig. This case was out of her comfort zone. She couldn't rely on her technology. There was no way to track down this woman on the internet. No way her hacker friends could track her down.

The folder Dragan had given her was thin with only a few papers in it. There wasn't even much information about the man who had asked for this to be done. All Lisbeth had was a blurry picture of a person she didn't know going into the house with the supposed priceless items. There were two things that immediately stood out to her.

_1. Whoever it was is clearly a woman. _

_2. That woman had direct access to the building. No breaking in. _

The young researcher locked those 2 notes away in her head. Smoked flowed from her nose as she watched the street below her, it felt like snow.

* * *

Fallon entered the Ministry of Magic around 5am. She had been called in early due to a highly important meeting. Harry didn't give too many details just the time. The young witch had not slept much the night before so she was rubbing the sleep from her eyes as she headed to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

The Ministry was a ghost town, but the Auror office was always busy. Fallon by passed a few fellow Aurors before heading into the meeting. There were only 4 others. Harry Potter, head of the Department, Denis Tanglewood, Isolde Vaughn, Crispin Cleeves and herself, Fallon Calvaria. These were some of the most experienced and top Aurors in the Department. Fallon knew whatever the meeting was about it was important.

"Hope we didn't wake you up too early, Fallon," laughed Potter.

"No earlier than usual Sir," she smiled as she sat down.

"This meeting couldn't wait hence the early time," he looked at all of them, "And our target has come out of the open. He has contacted a muggle security agency and has been tracking down a number of Aurors."

"Why?" asked Crispin, "Why not just track them down with magic?"

"We've lost 3 aurors in these past months. An unacceptable number. By doing this he is drawing attention away from himself."

"This guy is becoming a royal pain in the ass," muttered Isolde.

"Hadrian is trying to find ways around us. He's managed to stay fairly undetected for a long time now, but a recent string of murders has cast a lot of light on him," said Denis.

"You've remained pretty mute during this whole situation, Fallon," Harry looked at her.

Fallon had been watching all of them and listening carefully, "He's had my house placed under surveillance by Milton Security."

Everyone looked at one another then to Fallon to Harry. The two wizards were staring at one another and seemed to know exactly what the other was thinking. With a nod from Harry the gaze was broken.

"Find Hadrian," he said, "He has friends; he has followers. I'm not losing anymore aurors to him," he stood, "You're all excused."

Fallon was at the back of the line, "A word please, Fallon."

"We'll look into Milton Security. Find out who he has following you."

She held up her hand, "I'll handle the investigator on my own, Harry."

"They aren't aware of the connection and I'm not going to tell them. The lesson people dragged in the better."

Fallon nodded in agreement before leaving the office.

* * *

Lisbeth continued her surveillance on the woman. She went to and from the house at sporadic hours. There would be days with no signs of her then there would be sightings of her every few hours. And when she did leave the house she walked everywhere, but had a habit of up and disappearing.

Lisbeth followed her to a local café about a mile down the street from the house. The woman ordered a sandwich with soup and a water. She read the local paper and sat for a long time watching the street through the window. She was good looking with a slim, but muscular build. She had soft masculine features, closely cropped light brown hair, gauges in her ears, a lip piercing, and a small scar by her eye brow.

The hacker watched her for a long time. Sipping on coffee and making herself seem busy on her phone. The woman didn't seem to be in a rush to go anywhere and long after finishing her meal sat watching the street. Finally after nearly 2 hours she finally got up and headed down the street, but once again Lisbeth was only able to follow her for a few blocks before she was gone. Lisbeth cursed under breath and unwillingly headed back to her flat.

She threw her stuff onto the couch and headed to the fridge where she grabbed a frozen pizza from the freezer.

"You know it's not polite to follow people," Lisbeth looked to her right and there sitting on her kitchen counter eating an apple was the woman she had been following for weeks. They stared at one another for a moment. Lisbeth still holding the frozen pizza.

"Now I'll tell you my name if you tell me yours."

"Get out."

"No," the woman hopped off the counter. She was around 5'8 and Lisbeth was right the woman was something of a sight. Her eyes were a piercing grey, "You've been following me for weeks. I want to know why," she took a bite of the apple, "And on several occasions have even tried to enter my house which is curious, but we'll discuss that later."

"I said get out," Lisbeth's jaw clenched as she placed the pizza box on the table and pointed to the door.

Once again Fallon said no and took a seat at the kitchen table. Lisbeth went into the next room, grabbing her phone and taser. She turned it on and showed it to the intruder. Fallon cracked a smile at the weapon.

"I'm not here to hurt you. I just want you to answer me," she motioned to a chair, "Please sit."

Lisbeth sat.

"Now I will give you the information you want in exchange for information I want. Seem fair?" No response, "Ok."

"My name is Fallon Calvaria. The house you've been told you stake out is in fact mine. And contrary to the report you've read. No I haven't stolen anything from own house. That's just stupid. Now who are you?"

Lisbeth remained silent.

"Fine," Fallon sighed, "You're name is Lisbeth Salander and you once worked for Milton Security.

"How do you know who I am?" her eyes wide. Fallon saw some signs of emotion in the zombie like features.

"I looked at your mail," she laughed.

Lisbeth searched her intruder one more time before settling on she really didn't mean her harm. She also knew this woman wasn't going to leave until she got what she came for.

"What do you want?" Lisbeth said flatly.

"Why have you been creeping around my house?" Fallon looked at her raising an eyebrow.

"It was an assignment," Lisbeth responded, "Milton Security was misinformed about who the house belonged to clearly as it is yours. I was assigned to find out who was breaking into the house and if anything was being stolen. Simple."

"Well we've already established that one the house is in fact mine; two I haven't stolen anything from it nor have I broken into it. Who asked for the investigation?"

Fallon watched as Lisbeth's eyes went to a folder on the couch. Fallon stood and retrieved. She read over it before sitting down again.

"You Ms. Salander have had the wool pulled over your eyes," she said.

"Excuse me? I don't make mistakes. That was Milton Security's fault not mine."

"Fair enough," she sighed, "Either way the investigation is bullshit." Fallon stood, "Have a good night. Sorry for startling you," and Lisbeth watched her leave without saying a word.

* * *

2 hours after the unexplained visit from the woman Lisbeth was still trying wrap her head around it. 2 hours in front of the computer and she still couldn't find anything about this mysterious woman. There wasn't one trace of her. Lisbeth slammed her fist into the desk and stood lighting a cigarette.

_Who are you? Who? _

She could think of no other way of looking her up. Lisbeth was a hacker. Her world was computers; the internet. Yet Fallon didn't operate or fall within that and that put Lisbeth out of her territory.

Lisbeth needed to take her mind off the situation for a moment and come back to it. She opened the article Blomkvist had sent her. It was a simple newspaper article about a recent double homicide. The picture was of the bodies being removed from the apartment among a crowd of people. The article went into more detail about police believed it to be connected to other murders around the country and Europe.

Lisbeth studied the article, she then studied the photo and something immediately popped out at her. She enhanced the photo and there standing in the upper left corner behind a few onlookers was Fallon. She seemed to look out of place, but it was definitely her. Something peaked in Lisbeth and she now had something to go off of. She looked up more articles of the other murders making sure each of them had photos and she found in each there was Fallon standing back in the crowd.

Something else began to catch her attention. The dates of the articles and the times of death listed in each of them.

"Impossible…" she breathed.

Fallon was in each and every photo, but it was harder to believe was the times of death for many of the bodies. It wasn't physically possible for Fallon to have been in all of those places at the times she was. Two of the murders took place within an hour of each other. Which the more Lisbeth thought about it didn't make sense either.

Lisbeth sat back taking a drag and staring at her computer screen. Her mind was racing with some many possibilities, but none of the logical ones made any sense. She scanned her mind of all the possible means of travel and none went fast enough for Fallon to reach those places in the time she did.

_What is going on? _

_I've come across something. I'll keep you posted. _

She sent that message to Mikael before walking away from her computer. Lisbeth needed to get out and clear her head. She wrapped her jacket around her small frame and headed out into the snow.

* * *

Fallon sat by the fire in a local tavern. The snow was falling and the temperature had dropped, but where she was it was warm. She was drinking Brannvin and observing the local patrons. Her mind was racing with all that had recently taken place. On her mind was Lisbeth, but for different reasons. There was something about her the young Auror couldn't place.

_Why did Hadrian go through Muggles to get to me? I know what he wants, but he can't expect to get it that easily. _

She sipped her drink and nestled into her chair. Fallon would sleep on the subject and do more research in the morning right now it was making her head hurt plus the alcohol was making her sleepy.


	3. Attacked

Fallon was starting to feel warm thanks to her drink and had begun to sink into her chair when the door opened and in walked a familiar face taking a seat at the bar. The young witch's interest peaked immediately. Her mouth curled into a smile as she stood from her chair and headed over.

"What are you doing out?" she said leaning against the bar and ordering a beer.

"I wanted a drink, Fallon," the woman turned and smiled, "I see you already have been."

"It's been a long day," she smiled taking a drink, "How have you been, Belaset?"

"Good," she laid a hand on Fallon's arm and leaned into her whispering into her ear, "I've missed you," Fallon could feel her breath on her ear and she got chills.

Belaset had beautiful brown hair that was currently pulled into a loose bun. She wore plain clothes, jeans, knee high boots, and a fitting sweater. Everything showed off her body; a body that Fallon remembered and knew very well. The witch was older than Fallon by 5 years, but was stunning none the less.

Lisbeth walked down the snow covered street, smoke billowing from her nose. She was nearing the Lion's Mane Tavern when the door to the building opened and out stumbled two women. Lisbeth recognized one of them immediately. Fallon had her arm across the other woman's shoulders that had her arms wrapped around the young woman's waist. Fallon was slightly taller than the other woman and Lisbeth could immediately tell they were more than just friends.

The young hacker stayed back from them letting them get further down the street before heading towards the tavern door. She watched the two women closely before they disappeared down a side street and was out of view.

Fallon apparated the two of them to Belaset's flat. The two immediately fell into bed, kissing and running their hands all over each other.

"Mmm Fallon it's been so long since we've had fun," moaned the witch as Fallon kissed her neck and grabbed her hips. Belaset ran her fingers through the young witch's hair and pulling her in for a kiss.

Fallon traced her fingers a long Belaset's neck and the witch fell asleep instantly. She smiled as she got up from the bed, buttoning her jeans, buckling her belt and throwing her thermal back on. She looked around the flat and then headed back to the bed. She sat down at the edge of the bed and from her coat pocket withdrew a vial. She then took out her wand, tracing it a long Belaset's temple before drawing out the familiar silver strand.

"It's been fun," Fallon kissed Belaset on the cheek before grabbing her jacket and heading out.

* * *

There were still a few hours until sunrise, but Fallon had sobered up a long time ago. Instead of apparating she decided to walk home. It wasn't that far and the night was crisp and beautiful. A few inches of snow had fallen and the streets were primarily empty except for a few drunks staggering home.

She rounded a corner when Lisbeth came into view and Fallon stopped immediately when she saw two people in black and knew immediately something wasn't right.

One of the figures in dark raised their arms and that's when Fallon struck with a flick of her hand the attacking cloaked figure was flung across the street. Fallon sprinted across the street.

"Lisbeth get back!" she shouted standing in front of the slightly stunned Swede. The two cloaked figures stood and drew their wands.

Lisbeth stood staring wide eyed at the scene before her. She knew Fallon who stood in front of her, but the other two were a mystery to her, but they had come to attack her.

Fallon held her ground. She waved her wand across her chest sending the two figures flying with a spray of blood into the air that left red lines in the snow. They cried out in agony and staggered to their feet and attacking again. One created a shockwave knocking Lisbeth to the ground, her bag going everywhere.

The young witch turned back to the mysterious figures, she swirled her wand causing the snow around them to envelope the two dark wizards, freezing them in place. Another flick of her wrist and the giant blocks of ice shattered.

Fallon helped Lisbeth her feet.

"What the fuck?" was Lisbeth's first question.

"I think it is time you and I had a chat…" Fallon said, "Cliché…I know, but let's go to my place."


	4. Armant Sgorion

Fallon decided not to apparate to her flat. She figured Lisbeth had had enough of a crazy experience for the time being so she opted for a walk in the snow. The witch checked to make sure Lisbeth was ok and they collected all of her spilled out belongings before heading on their way.

The walk to Fallon's flat was short and silent. Lisbeth clutched her bag to her shoulder and kept her head down. Fallon walked close to her and stared straight ahead.

* * *

"Here…" Fallon handed her a beer as they sat down in her living room, "Where to begin?" she scratched her head.

"I'm a witch," she looked at Lisbeth, but the young muggle didn't say a word. She just stared at Fallon and holding her drink.

"What attacked you tonight were dark wizards working for a wizard named Hadrian, the man who hired you to investigate me," still no response, "I don't know why they attacked you, but I'm going to find out." Once again still no answer.

For what seemed like a long time the two women sat in silence sipping beer. The sun had risen as they finished off the last of Fallon's 6 pack of beer. The young witch could not remember the last time she had consumed so much, but she still felt sober. The entire she sat and waited for Lisbeth to answer. And she waited.

Lisbeth was busy absorbing her surroundings more importantly gathering all the visual pieces of Fallon she could. From her sleeve tattoos on both arms to her piercings, scars, wardrobe, demeanor, facial expressions. The young woman was intent on learning everything. And from what she had gathered over the last few hours of silently drinking beer was that Fallon's patience seemed endless, she didn't force Lisbeth to do anything, she was powerful, but had a calmness that Lisbeth had never seen in anyone and her eyes struck her the most. They were so soft. Fallon didn't even have to smile or make any expression and Lisbeth could read a lot of her emotion in her eyes. Fallon didn't mean her any harm.

"Who is Hadrian?" she finally asked.

Fallon smiled and sat up in her chair, but Lisbeth saw her grip tighten on the bottle, "He's an old friend."

"Hadrian is after you?"

"No," she breathed, "If only it was that simple."

Fallon had tensed up even more then during the fight a few hours ago. She quickly changed the subject.

"So you...wizards...exist around us?"

"Yes," she stood grabbing a glass of water, "For thousands of years. Very few no-magic folk know about our existence and it's probably for the best, but Hadrian has caused that security to become a bit of a problem." Fallon was quiet for a minute.

"Your shirt is ripped," she pointed to a few slices in Lisbeth's shirt, "I can fix that." She held out her hand and Lisbeth didn't move.

"I'm not asking you to dance if that's what you're thinking. I need your shirt." Lisbeth stood and peeled the torn up shirt from her slender frame. She expected like most people for Fallon's eyes to examine every inch of her, but they didn't. She held Lisbeth's gaze as she took the shirt. Fallon gave Lisbeth another shirt with a giant skull on it. It suited her perfectly.

Fallon's attention was caught by the large dragon tattoo covering her back. Her eyes lingered on it before it was quickly covered by the new shirt. Fallon laid the shirt on the coffee table, tapping her wand in a few different places. Lisbeth was peering over her shoulder and intently watched the fibers begin to connect and the shirt in a matter of minutes looked like new.

"Here..." the young witch handed her the shirt.

"Thanks," she looked at her.

"Do I get mine back?" she raised an eyebrow.

Lisbeth looked at her then at the shirt, "No," she said flatly, "I like it."

* * *

Fallon didn't waste anytime in getting down to the Ministry's archives. She grabbed a lantern and disappeared into one of the oldest sections and immediately began pulling scrolls and books from the shelves.

"What are you looking for?" Vidimir Denot one of the 3 Ministry record keepers. She was a woman of short stature with half-moon rim glasses and grey hair pulled into a bun. She was old, very old. Fallon just didn't know how old.

The Auror had a magnify glass in one hand staring intently had engravings. She looked up rubbing her neck. She was going to pick Vidimir Denot's brain.

She leaned back in her chair, "What can you tell me about Brasa?"

Vidimir's attention was immediately caught, "And why would you want to know about that Fallon?"

"Just heard someone discussing it in the Leaky Cauldron the other day and it caught my attention."

"All this research for curiousity?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Humour me please," Fallon smiled.

"Well," she fixed her glasses and sat down in a chair, "As legend goes there was once a very powerful wizard by the name of Armant Sgorion lived right around the time of Merlin, who also had a gift with dragons. He like his dragons had a bit of a fiery temper and caused a lot of problems. His most prized dragon was Brasa, a large black dragon."

"What happened to him?"

"Well the other wizards of the time had had enough of him destroying the countryside with his dragons so they gave him an ultimatum. Destroy the dragons and turn himself or be destroyed."

"I'm guessing he didn't go quietly."

The elderly lady laughed, "Quite the opposite. He intertwined his soul with Brasa and vanished."

"That's it?" she snorted, "He became a dragon and disappeared?"

"Excuse me young lady," she arched an eyebrow, "I have not called an end to this story."

"Now where was I," she looked at the text, "Armant left behind a few illigetimate children whose descendants are still alive today. Some magical and some not, but for those lucky enough to have a direct bloodline to the dark wizard he has a nasty way of making his lineage known."

This is where Fallon's eyes flashed and it became serious, "What do you mean?"

"There's a mark," she passed the text over to Fallon and pointed to the pictures, "With each person it comes in a different form. But its in the blood and there's no way of telling who will get it and if or when it'll ever appear. Some are subtle like so," she pointed to an engraving, "While others are most noticeable."

"Does it have any affect on the person?"

"Depends, really," she adjusted her glasses, "Some simply carry the mark and are never affected while others carry the mark and are greatly affected. The affects can range from to one particular ability to a long list."

"And is this family tree recent?"

She shrugged, "Give or take a few years."

Fallon sprang up out of her chair, "You are wonderful!" She handed Vidimir a chocolate frog before sprinting out the door.

"You know a way to a woman's heart," she smiled opening the box.


	5. Breakthrough

"Where are the interns?!" shouted Fallon as she entered the Auror Department.

"Excuse me?" Holly the secretary looked up at her.

"Where are they? I have something for them to do."

"They're down the hall on the right," she stared the Auror before continuing her paperwork.

Fallon entered the room to find the 10 winter interns from Hogwarts sitting around a table listening to the radio.

"Get up!"

They immediately leapt to their feet and stood at attention, "Really?" she sighed, "This is what we have you guys doing all day?" she shook her head, "Sit down."

The interns sat down and Fallon came to stand at the front of the room; turning off the radio, "Ok. I have an assignment for you ladies and gents." She let the papers out of her hand and they went to the interns sitting around the table. She tapped her wand on the board behind her and the entire Sgorion family tree came to life in the room.

"This is the Sgorion family tree," she said, "I have given you a list of all recent descendants. Your job is to find out which of those descendants are still alive, and report back to me immediately. This is very important. The lists are enchanted and if anyone else tries to read them the paper will appear blank. Do not disclose your task to anyone, but amongst one another. If any of these rules are not followed you will all be in some serious shit."

A few of the interns swallow hard.

* * *

Hadrian sat in his study sipping on some whiskey. His lieutenant sitting across from him.

"Fallon knows about the investigation by Milton Security," Wilhelm said, "She confronted the investigator."

Hadrian snorted finishing off the glass, "Can't get anything by her can we?" he shook his head, "Just like when we were kids."

"What are we going to do?" Wilhelm asked.

"That is a very good question," the dark wizard stood heading over to the whiskey bottle pouring himself another round, "Any suggestions?"

"Excuse me, sir?"

"Wilhelm you've been my friend and colleague for many years. I value your opinion," he took a drink, "I might not use your ideas, but I want to hear them regardless."

"We need her away from Lisbeth, but how we do that is beyond me," he sighed shifting in his chair, "She's going to make the connection sooner or later and when she does we won't be able to get anywhere near Ms. Salander."

"Probably that attack the other night was a little faulty," he handed Wilhelm a glass, "Well we'll sleep on it and regroup tomorrow."

* * *

Lisbeth and Mikael sat down for coffee in his flat.

"Tell me Lisbeth," he handed her a cup, "What is new in your life?"

"I made a friend," she paused, "I think."

Mikael cocked and eyebrow; grinning, "Really? Who is it?"

"A girl named Fallon."

"That's nice."

"Sure," she sipped, "How are you?"

"Good. I've been doing a bit of research into these murders that have been taking place, but have hit a dead end. You sent me a message saying you may have found something. What is it?"

Lisbeth's mind flashed back to the conversation she had with Fallon about the existence of the wizarding world. She was now privy to very important and secretive information. She knew in the back of her mind that Fallon probably wouldn't like her to disclose it to Mikael or really anyone for that matter.

"I'm still working on it."

"You can't give me anything?"

"No." she said flatly. The young woman wasn't fully aware of why she was hiding the young witch's secret. She had barely known the woman more than a couple of days, but wherever her new and strange "friendship" with Fallon was going she wanted it to continue. She was generally interested in it, something she had not felt for a long time.

"Ok," he sighed knowing he wasn't going to get anywhere, "Tell me how did you meet your new friend?"

"During an investigation," she finished off her coffee.

"What is she like?" it was like pulling teeth.

"Different." An invisible grin crept across Lisbeth's face.


	6. Dark Memory

_"Hadrian! What are you doing?!" Fallon ran onto the scene, wand drawn, "Stop!" she pleaded._

_"I'm sorry, Fallon I can't do that," he turned his back to her. _

_There was carnage all around her. Bodies lay strewn about the streets. Fires ripped through the houses. The snow was crimson. _

_They were in Elms Forge. Hadrian was attacking their town. The place where both wizards had been born and raised. It was only 2 days before Christmas. Fallon had come home to celebrate with her family and when she arrived this is what she found. Every fallen face she looked at she knew. _

_"Sectumsempra!" she cried out as Hadrian went to disappear into a house. The spell missed and split the door frame sending splinters of wood everywhere. Fallon chased him into the house and up the stairs. Fallon knew this house. It was Hadrian's house. She had been here so many times during her younger years. She played on the stairs and ran around these rooms. She moved quickly and carefully from room to room searching for her friend. _

_"STOP!" she heard a woman scream. She ran to the master bedroom at the end of the hall to find Hadrian standing over his now dead father and the rest of his family; mother, grandparents, and 3 younger siblings cowering in a corner. _

_"Hadrian! Enough!" she shouted at him. _

_"I can't." _

_"Talk to me," she begged, "Come on we've been friends for years. Talk to me," she edged closer to him. She had lowered her wand. _

_"Leave Fallon. I don't want you to see this." _

_"Don't."_

_Her words weren't reaching him. _

_"This is it," he turned his head slightly to her. Fallon's eyes went wide. The look in his eyes. The change he went through was something she would never forget. She lunged forward, but the last thing she remembered was a blinding white light and horrific screams. She woke up in St. Mungo's 2 weeks later. _

There was banging at her door. Fallon awoke with a start. Cursing and kicking the air. The young witch lookd around. She was breathing heavily. It was dark out. The wall clock read 2am.

"Who the fuck?" she muttered as the banging continued, "What?!" she pulled the door open only to be blown backwards slamming into the coffee table. There was dust and debris everywhere. She coughed getting to her feet, "That was my fault."

Another explosion blew away the kitchen wall. It left a ringing in her ears. She shot out her arm, "ARRESTO MOMENTO!" Everything in flat froze. The falling debris and smoze froze. She adjusted her eyes and casted her second spell in another second, "Revelio!" and the two wizards causing the damage were revealed to be just inside the door.

Fallon smiled and snapped her fingers. The two wizards froze immediately. She hauled them over to her fireplace placing them both inside and administering floo powder.

"If this all goes well. You two will get spliced together," she smiled.

"Wherever you send us someone will find us and let us go," the one laughed, but she could see fear in her eyes.

Fallon grinned, "My floo powder is a bit different. You don't need two fireplaces for this to work. I can send you wherever," she said, "Antarctica."

And with that the two wizards were gone. Their screams echoed throughout her flat.

Fallon sighed as she examined the damage to her apartment, "Always look before opening the door." She flicked her wand and her things and apartment began to return to normal.

The wall was reconstructing itself when there was a knock on her door. It was Zephyrinus Braudry one of the young Ministery interns.

"Come in," she mumbled, "Door doesn't exist currently."

He entered the apartment and looked around at the staggering amount of damage still beginning to right itself, "Everything ok?"

"Yea just had some visitors. Have something for me?" she arched an eyebrow.

"The others will be arriving momentarily. We've uncovered a lot."

"Sit down," she motioned to the couch and she grabbed herself a beer and sat down in the chair. And as the young wizard stated the other interns filed in all taking a seat in her living room.

"We did the research you asked of us and out of all the descendants we found there are a number of them alive," he said.

"But only one carries the mark of Armant," said Sanders Grant.

Fallon tensed as she waited for the name she already knew the young witch was ging to tell her. _Lisbeth Salander. _

"Lisbeth Salander."

The Auror nodded and took a drink of beer, "Yea...that's what I figured."

"Now what?"

The Auror took another drink raising her eyebrows, "You're services aren't needed anymore ladies and gentlemen. I thank you for what you did. You can go now."

The young interns left their findings on the coffee table and Fallon drinking the last of her beer.

"Balls," she sighed staring down at the papers. She grabbed a piece of parchment and a quill; quickly scribbling down a message and attaching it Pegarius her falcon's leg and sending him off.

* * *

Lisbeth was sitting at her window smoking a cigarette when she noticed a bird getting closer and closer before landing on her ledge and rapping the window with its beak. At first she didn't open the window and only observed the bird. But the rapping continued until she finally relented and let the small falcon in.

The raptor immediately held out its leg and Lisbeth took the idea to remove the scroll. She had barely read the message when Fallon appeared in her kitchen.

"Figured you were home."

"I have a door," she grumbled standing and dousing her cigarette.

"I'll keep that in mind," she said, "Lisbeth, you and I need to talk."

Lisbeth headed to the living room and sat crossed legged on the couch. She didn't say a word, but Fallon knew she was listening. The Auror sat down on the couch, "Can I see the tattoo? the one of the dragon on your back?"

Lisbeth's eyebrows raised, "Why?" she said sharply.

"Once I see it I'll be able to tell you more."

They both sat for a minute staring at one another waiting for the question to filter through the young woman's brain. Lisbeth sat on it for awhile before stripping off her shirt. Once again Lisbeth noticed Fallon's eyes were on the task at hand not on the rest of her body.

With her back to the Fallon she couldn't see how wide the witch's eyes had become. Lisbeth felt fingers trace down her back. They were rough, but weirdly gentle. She liked the feeling.

Fallon's eyes traced over the tattoo and her fingers delicately followed the outline of it.

"How long have you had this?" she asked.

"A couple of years," Lisbeth lit a cigarette.

"Is this covering a birthmark?" Fallon knew the answer. She could feel it under the ink.

Smoke poured out of her nose, "Yes."

Fallon's fingers lingered for a moment of Lisbeth's skin before she sat back, "You can put your shirt back on."

Lisbeth gave her a questioning look as she turned around.

"How much do you know of your family history, Lisbeth?"

"Not much why?" she flicked ash.

"Ever heard of a guy named Armant Sgorion?"

She shook her head. Fallon sighed rubbing her neck, "Hand me one of those," she took a cigarette and with a snap of her fingers it was lit. Smoke flowed from her nose. She reclined making herself comfortable.

"Story time," she smiled weakly.


	7. Time for Sleep

Smoke billowed out of her nose. She took a moment to compile her thoughts. Lisbeth sat cross legged on the couch. She finished her cigarette and disposed of it in the ash tray. She clicked her tongue signalling to Fallon she was tired of waiting.

Fallon took the hint and stood heading over the wall across from them. Lisbeth watched her movements closely. She noticed that Fallon's usually laid back composure had suddeny turned serious, but yet she still had such fluid movments. With a quick swing of her arms Lisbeth's walls were cleared. The Auror then reached up as far as she could on the wall and traced her finger all the way down until she reached the floor. Lisbeth watched with wide eyes as a tree trunk began to slowly come through her wall. The wall began to crack and crumble. The paint and wood cracking onto the floor. Fallon then spread her arms wide in which the reaction were the branches to begin forming. Tree branches began to push their way through her wall. And on each branch was attached a small tile with a name engraved. They covered the tree. Lisbeth's eyes flashed to Fallon who had taken her seat back on the couch. The hacker took a few steps back until her eyes fell over the whole tree. They went to the very top where she saw Armant Sgorion down to the bottom where she found a tile with her name. She turned and faced Fallon.

"That is your family tree. Your mother's side," she pointed the names out, "The man at the top, Armant Sgorion, you are a direct descendant of. The mark you've had since birth is his mark. The one he's been so nice to leave on his relatives."

"What does it mean?" she stared at Fallon, "The birth mark?"

"That is something you and I are going to have to work out together," she replied, "It varies depending on the person."

Lisbeth stood still.

"Sit," Fallon patted the cushion next to her. Lisbeth looked over her shoulder at the gigantic tree in her fucking living room before sitting down.

"Explain," her tone was serious and the words bit at Fallon.

"I'm sure you've heard of the wizard Merlin."

No answer.

"I'll take that as a yes," she sighed, "Our man Sgorion lived during his time..." and for the next hour or so Fallon laid out every detail of the story to Lisbeth. Not once did Lisbeth say a word. She sat staring at Fallon absorbing every word.

By the time Fallon finished it was late and she was tired. But Lisbeth didn't show any signs of slowing down.

"This doesn't come too much as a shock," the young woman finally said.

Fallon gave her a cocked look, but she didn't get an answer so she dropped it.

* * *

"This is not what I wanted!" shouted Hadrian. It was a meeting of his top followers. Not one of them moved or said a word. Hadrian gripped the back of his chair to where his knuckles turned white.

"How?" he muttered, "How?!" the chair's backing snapped in half. He turned away from the table quickly regaining his composure, "I'm sorry," he sighed, "You must all understand my frustration at this chain of events."

They nodded nervously.

"Selles?" he looked to a woman down towards the end of the table. She had strawberry blonde hair. She was middle aged with thin features, but strong, "News?"

She stood, "Fallon knows of the connection between Lisbeth and Sgorion, but nothing more. It is going to get harder and harder to get near Lisbeth with Fallon around. If the Auror uncovers anymore it'll be impossible."

"We need to brainstorm ladies and gentlemen!" Hadrian raised his arms, "I have a coalition of some of the brightest and best wizards and witches in this room and yet there are no ideas flowing."

Their leader often scared them. He was biopolar. They were now becoming used to his manic episodes. Such as this. They believed in him. They had seen his power. Heard his story. This was right. After all everyone makes sacrifices to get what they want.

* * *

It was nearly 4am when Fallon finally staggered into her flat.

"It's about time you got home," Belaset came out of the kitchen.

"So lovely to see you."

"Fuck you."

"It was sarcasm," Fallon smiled.

"You pulled some bullshit the other night Fallon," Fallon could see the vein in the witch's forehead pulse, "Using that sleeping hex on me."

The Auror let her continue while she poured herself orange juice.

"And to think I thought you actually wanted to fuck me."

Fallon nearly choked on her OJ, "Fuck me indeed," she wiped juice off her face, "Maybe a few years ago, but those feelings left my vagina a long time ago."

"Did you get what you wanted then?" she was pissed.

"I did," she raised her glass, "Thank you."

Belaset threw her arms up in the air causing many of Fallon's things to fly through the air.

"I just cleaned up in here!" she shouted, "Get out! Damn it!"

"You'll regret this Fallon!" Belaset shouted before disappearing.

"Usually do," she muttered finishing her juice and tapping the table which made her thrown about things find their rightful place.

Fallon was just about to crawl into bed when she heard knocking at her door. She stood at the foot of her bed in boxer briefs and a t-shirt. Staring at her.

_You look so comfy. I could ignore the banging. Probably just more dark wizards wanting to blow me up. They can wait. I just want to sleep. I have tomorrow off. I should be able to enjoy it. Right? I'm talking to a bed. _

The knocking continued. Fallon sighed and went to the door.

"Don't blow me up," she said before opening the door to surprisingly find Lisbeth standing there. Fallon smiled. Lisbeth liked that smile. It wasn't a big one. It was more of a smirk and it suited the witch very well.

"What?" she asked.

"Nevermind."

"What are you doing here? It's nearly 6am." she said.

"I couldn't sleep," she lied.

Fallon nodded with a yawn. Lisbeth followed the Auror into her room where Fallon quicky climbed under the covers. She peaked out from underneath them at Lisbeth, "I'm going to bed," she closed her eyes, "You are more than welcome to stay."

Lisbeth looked at her for a moment. Once again Fallon didn't try anything on her. She was genuinely going to bed not trying to bed the young swede. She peeled off her boots, sweater, scarf and pants before climbing under the covers. Lisbeth laid on her side staring at Fallon.

"I can feel your eyes on me," one eye popped open and settled on Lisbeth, "What?"

"Nothing," Lisbeth muttered and not long after Fallon fell asleep so did she.


	8. Revelations

Lisbeth stirred, a ray of sun peaking through the blinds. She was on her side her arms wrapped around a soundly sleeping body. She suddenly froze as she realized her arms were wrapped around Fallon. Lisbeth momentarily froze. She slowly lifted herself slightly off the bed and looked at Fallon who was asleep. There was no place in her memory or a time where she remembered waking up and finding herself here. Lisbeth also couldn't remember the last time she had slept so soundly. She stood fixing the blinds so no light could enter before crawling back under the covers and tucking herself back into the crook of Fallon's arms. Within seconds she was asleep again.

* * *

Harry sat at his desk in the Auror Department. His brow furrowed as he stared at the papers in front of him. Within the last few hours things had turned very serious. The wizard was debating if he should bring in Fallon or not. The young witch barely got time off as it was, but he knew he ultimately would have to.

"You wanted to see us?" Crispin, and Isolde entered his office.

His concentration broke and he looked up rubbing his eyes, "Yes," he paused, "Denis Tanglewood is missing."

The room remained silent, "He was last seen leaving his cousin's home just outside the town of Foxdour. He never returned home."

"Is it Hadrian?" asked Isolde.

"Not sure," he said, "But I want to say yes and if so he'll be the 6th Auror this year."

"We've got to make a move Harry," Crispin leaned forward, "We have to tell Fallon what we know. We've waited too long."

He nodded in agreement, "I'll have her come in."

* * *

A small glowing orb floated right through the closed window and came to rest at the foot of Fallon's bed.

"Fallon Calvaria," it stated in a deep booming voice.

"Sleeping..." she muttered.

"Fallon Calvaria," it repeated.

"SLEEPING!" she shouted launching a pillow at it which only passed right through.

"Your presence is required at the Ministry of Magic in the Auror Department."

"I know where I work!" she groaned opening her eyes, but by then it was gone.

She looked to her left to find Lisbeth sleeping soundly in the crook of her arm. The Auror smiled, amused that the orb had not woken her. She crept out of bed, quickly got dressed and into the kitchen where she made some toast. Fallon wrote a quick note, leaving it on the bedside table before leaving.

* * *

Fallon sat down in Harry's office and looked at the somber faces surrouding her.

"I'd crack the joke about who died, but I'm beginning to think someone actually died."

"Denis is missing," Crispin said.

Fallon's face immediately dropped and the seriousness of the situation struck her, "Why do I feel like this isn't the only reason you brought me in here?" looking at them.

"It's not," Harry looked at her, "We know the reason behind Hadrian trying to break into your flat and why he went through Muggle channels because if any wizard had gotten sight of what he was doing they would have known immediately."

"Ok..." she waited.

"You have a lot of family heirlooms in your home right?"

"Yes. That house has been in my family for generations. I keep it in my possession for that reason."

"You have one in particular that is of great importance to Hadrian."

"Where are we going with this?" she was getting frustrated.

Isolde handed a large leather bound book to Fallon, "Look at this picture and read the description at the bottom."

"Valia Maske banishes Armant Sgorion during their final battle at Wheeler Hollow," she looked up at them, "I know her. I'm related to her. I still don't understand."

In the picture was one of his great ancestors. The founding member of his family. She was fighting Armant Sgorion. This Fallon never knew, but she still didn't understand. The Auror studied the picture closer and saw a familiar object in Valia's hand. A dagger. The same dagger Fallon had locked away in her family's home. In the picture it had pierced Armant's torso in the midst of his fusion with Brasa.

"That is what Hadrian is after."

"Why?"

"The reason Armant's ancestors have never caused the wizarding world too many problems is because of what that dagger is capable of. The birthmark his desendants carry is a gateway to the release of Brasa. But when she pierced Armant with that dagger she sealed his blood into it. Without all of Armant's blood running through the descendant's veins there is no way for the release to take place."

"Lisbeth..." she muttered.

Harry nodded, "He knows the connection."

"How did Hadrian know the dagger was in your possession?" asked Crispin.

"Belaset," she said through gritted teeth, "I'm going to kill her. I thought I swiped her memory of my house not too long ago, but I guess I was too late."

"What happens to the descendant if the dagger is used on them?"

"It doesn't really say."

"Great," she sighed standing up.

"Lisbeth Salander is under the protection of the Auror Department we will make sure nothing happens to her."

"She's my charge," Fallon said, "Now we have to find Denis."

* * *

Fallon entered her flat to the smell of breakfast being made more importantly bacon. Her favorite. She found Lisbeth in the kitchen wearing nothing but a t-shirt and underwear.

"Here," she said placing a plate of food in front of Fallon who quickly devoured it.

Lisbeth sat across from her, "Where did you go?" she laid the note in between them. All it said was "See you later. Make breakfast when you're up."

"Work," she muttered with food in her mouth.

"Something is wrong," Lisbeth was good at reading Fallon's eyes in the short time she knew her.

"We're taking a trip today. I'll explain everything when we get there."

"More information about my birthmark?"

Fallon nodded downing a glass of orange juice, "So much for my day off."


	9. St Mungo's

"Where are we going?" Lisbeth asked as she slipped her pants back on.

"To see someone," Fallon pulled her coat from her closet.

The hacker noticed that the witch's demeanor had changed since she arrived home. Something was on her mind. The thought crossed Lisbeth to ask what was wrong, but she decided not to.

Once Fallon determined that they were ready she turned to Lisbeth and held out her hand again, "We aren't going to walk anywhere this time. We have a few places to go so we're going to apparate."

Lisbeth raised an eyebrow, "Explain."

"Teleportation," she said, "Now take my arm."

Lisbeth hesitated. She searched Fallon's eyes again and saw the same thing. The witch meant her no harm. She reached out and took Fallon's hand and faintly heard, "This will make you want to vomit. Sorry." Before she felt was it was like to be sucked through a hose at an intense speed and slammed into the ground. Lisbeth felt the ground slam into her. Her head was spinning. The last time she felt like this is when she got shot in the head. It took her a few seconds to get everything into focus.

"You ok?" she heard a familiar voice. Felt a hand on her back, but her senses were heightened and she moved away from the touch. Breathing heavily and sweating. Fallon was right she did want to vomit. Lisbeth finally stood on her own and stared at Fallon until the witch became just one image.

"Sorry," Fallon smiled weakly, "It takes some time to get used to."

Lisbeth nodded and looked around her. They stood in front of a rundown department store.

"We're in London at the wizarding hospital," Fallon seemed to be hesitating about going inside, "Incase you haven't guessed I'm an english swede."

"This is a hospital?" she looked at Fallon.

"On the outside no," Fallon walked forward and stepped into the window, "But if you come inside you'll see things differently."

Lisbeth was not a fan of hospitals, and it seemed Fallon wasn't either. The young woman followed her through the window and stepped into a totally different world. They stood within a massive hospital.

Fallon and the receptionist exchanged nods before Fallon continued down the hall to the elevators. One thing Lisbeth noticed about her short time in the wizarding world was that no one gave her a second glance. Normally she would get stares and see people muttering, but here she wasn't abnormal.

"There are weirder things in this world then a girl with bleached eyebrows, piercings and a mohawk," Fallon smiled, but she could still see something false behind it. The Auror's eyes darted way and she swallowed hard. How she hated this place and yet it had become so homely. It made her sick.

Lisbeth passed people in clothing she had never seen before. They were dressed like they were living in centuries gone by. Some were adorned in robes. This also was way out of her territory, but she looked at everything and everything with fascination. The floating objects, the moving paintings and the things being said flowed over. She stuck close to Fallon.

They entered an elevator with a few other people. They were all giving side glances and seemed to fidgit slightly at the sight of her. But Fallon's mind was someplace else. They passed the 2nd floor then the 3rd then the 4th, they were the only 2 people left in the elevator when it opened on the floor.

"Level 4: Spell Damage. Janus Thickey Ward," said a voice from nowhere.

The two women exited the lift and entered a long corridor. Wizards and witches dressed in light green robes were everywhere.

"They're healers."

"Who comes to this floor?"

"Some of the worst cases."

They continued on down the corridor passing many rooms with all kinds of things taking place inside them. Fallon made a right and came to double doors with, "Janus Thickey Ward" engraved over it.

She raised her hand to push open the doors and hesitated. Fallon sighed heavily, closed her eyes and pushed through.

"Fallon," a healer came over to her, "So good to see you. We were wondering when we would see you again."

"Hi Jocelyn," the two women shook hands, "This is my friend Lisbeth. She'll be joining me today. I hope that is alright?"

Jocelyn looked at Lisbeth with a smile, "Not a problem, Fallon. Follow me. Allande is right over here."

Fallon nodded and followed the healer. There was a girl sitting cross legged on the floor. She was maybe only 2 years at the most younger than Fallon. The Auror knelt down in front of her.

"Hey Allanda," she smiled stroking the girl's cheek, "How are you?"

Jocelyn smiled and left them a lone. Lisbeth stood quietly watching. It reminded her of when she would visit her mother.

Fallon received no answer from the girl. Allande seemed to be staring at something that wasn't there. Looking right through Fallon.

"I'm sorry I haven't visited you in awhile," she muttered, "Been a little hectic at work."

_Why is she carrying on a conversation with her? She won't get an answer. _Thought Lisbeth, but she knew the answer. She knew what it was like to talk someone that was entirely there.

"I brought you something," Fallon took the glass of water sitting on the table beside Allande. She dipped her finger into the water and from it sprouted 3 beautiful lilies, "There now. Isn't that nice?"

There was still no response.

"There's thing I need to know, Allande," she whispered to her taking her hand, "About your brother."

Something seemed to change in Allande's eyes and they immediately locked with Fallon's. Her grip tightened on Fallon's hand and there was urgency in her face.

"It's ok," she stroked her hand, "He can't hurt you here. You're safe. I won't let anything happen to again," she kissed her hand, "But I need to know."

Allande nodded. Fallon removed her wand and a small vial from her jacket. The young girl closed her eyes as the wand tip touched her forehead. Lisbeth watched as a small silverly strand came forth from her temple and into the vial.

"There all done," she smiled, "You can open your eyes."

Fallon got a brief smile from Allande before the girl's vacant stare returned and Lisbeth could see Fallon's heart break at this. She sighed, rising to her feet, placing the vial and her wand away. Before she faced Lisbeth she wiped the tears from her eyes and composed herself.

"Who is she?" Lisbeth asked.

"Hadrian's sister."


	10. Penseive

Lisbeth had to nearly job to keep pace with Fallon as she made her way out of the hospital.

"What happened to her?" Lisbeth asked as they stepped out into the street.

Fallon sucked in the fresh air like she had just been trapped underground.

"There are 3 curses that are listed as unforgivable. The imperius, the cruciatus and the killing curse," she closed her eyes, "Allande was on the receiving end of the cruciatus curse which when cast causes unbearable pain to the receiver and long term exposure can drive the person insane."

"She'll never be the same, will she?" Lisbeth looked down.

"No," Fallon shook her head, "No, she won't." An abandoned building to the left of the hospital, windows suddenly blew out. Lisbeth knew it was Fallon. She could see the clenched jaw. Her temper rising.

The Auror calmed herself, running her fingers through her hair. She held out her hand again to Lisbeth.

"We're not done are we?" Lisbeth looked into her eyes, taking her arm.

* * *

"Fuck off!" shouted Denis.

Hadrian circled his victim, "You're going to help me."

Denis pulled at the chain binding his wrists; laughing, "No way in hell."

The dark wizard smiled, placing the palm of his hand on the Auror's forehead and it was like lava was pushed into his veins. His body was on fire. The burning sensation was unbearable.

"Just say the word," he said calmly, "And I'll stop."

Denis struggled to compose even a sentence as he fought the fire in his body. His skin was burning. Blisters were forming on his skin, "Nev...nev...never."

"You will, Mr. Tanglewood," Hadrian pressed his palm harder into Denis's forehead.

Denis's screams echoed throughout the building.

* * *

Lisbeth once again slammed hard into the ground, but this time it was carpet. They were standing in an extravagant mansion. Almost everything in it was priceless and very old. They were in a massive library. Some of the titles of the books Lisbeth couldn't read. They too were old.

Fallon helped her to her feet and into a chair around a low sitting table. The Auror walked over to one of the many paintings on the wall. It was one of a middle aged gentleman from around the early 18th century. His clothes gave away his wealth.

"Cousin Artorious," she said, "Artorious!"

"What?!" the painting shouted back, "Can't a man get some sleep around here. It is after all after sunset."

"Where is Aunt Amelia?"

"She went out to the garden to try and catch some of the gnomes running rampant out there. Dreadful really," he sighed, "I will notify the gargoyles to let her know you've arrived."

Fallon paced around the library as they waited. The two women waited in silence. Fallon didn't want to talk and Lisbeth couldn't really find the words for a conversation so neither one said anything. They waited what seemed like nearly an hour, but in reality was only a few minutes before a woman in her early 60s entered the study.

"Fallon!" she cried out taking the Auror into a tight embrace. Lisbeth was beginning to assume good lucks ran in the family because despite this woman's age she was beautiful. She had light brown hair tied back into a loose bun with a few loose strands draping her face.

"Tell me," concern in her voice, "How have you been?"

"First off," Fallon stopped her, "I want to introduce you to someone," she motioned to Lisbeth who was still seated in the chair, "Her name is Lisbeth."

"Hello dear," Amelia smiled, "Are you Fallon's new lady?" Lisbeth's and Fallon's eyes grew wide.

"No!" Fallon choked, "What is wrong with you woman?"

"Well you've been single for so long I thought maybe you know you finally found someone," her Aunt shrugged, "You're not getting any younger."

"I'm not here to discuss my love life," she cried.

"I don't mean to be rude," her Aunt said, "But who is she than?"

Lisbeth was amused by the reaction between Fallon and her Aunt. Fallon's family from what she could tell was rather unusual, but in a good way.

"I'll explain that later," Fallon waved off the question, "Hadrian is very active."

"I know," she said, "I've been expecting you. Artorious has been keeping me posted about the goings on within the Ministry."

"Joys of being a former Minister of Magic," she looked over at her long deceased cousin. He smiled widely.

"What do you need?" her Aunt Amelia asked.

Fallon removed the small vial from her coat, "I need your penseive."

Amelia nodded and walked over the a cupboard. She unlatched the two intricately carved oak doors which allowed a stone basin to float out and into the middle of the study. Fallon followed it closely. She stood beside it and Lisbeth watched as she poured the contents of the vial into the murky liquid.

Lisbeth now stood beside Fallon.

"If you haven't already guessed what I took from Allande was a memory and this allows me to view it," she pointed to the penseive, "I think this memory may be useful to us."

Fallon told her to bend forward and look into the penseive. Lisbeth gave her a cocked eyebrow before shrugging and doing as she was told. The Auror quickly followed. Aunt Amelia sighed, "Might as well make some tea while I wait."

They were standing in the forier of a modest home.

It was late, and all the lights had been extinguished for the night except a light coming from a room up the hall to the left. As the two women approached the door they could see a figure sitting outside with her eye pressed to the crack in the door. Listening closely.

Lisbeth recognized her immediately. It was a young Allande. No older than 12. She stopped walking immediately.

"Don't worry," Fallon assured her, "They can't see us."

She followed Fallon into the study. There were two men standing near one of the windows. She didn't know either of them.

"The young man to the left is Hadrian. He's 15," he pointed. Hadrian was tall with an athletic build. Even at 15 he was nearly 6ft tall. His hair was jet black with a shaggy appearance. He was dressed in a gray sweater and black pants.

"Who is the man?"

"His father Randolph Pravus." The two men were nearly carbon copies of one another. Had Hadrian been a few years older they could have been mistaken for twins.

They listened closely to the conversation.

"That is enough, Hadrian!" his father shouted, "Just let it go!"

"Why are you keeping it a secret?"

"Do you know the kind of attention...bad attention this family would receive if it ever got out."

"They're going to find out eventually. It'll become obvious."

"And how will that happen?"

"She's already had outbursts. It'll only get worse. She can't control it."

Fallon's expression turned from curiousity to concern and she moved closer, "I don't like how you're talking Hadrian. This is your sister we are talking about."

"What has been this family's sworn duty since the fall of Armant Sgorion?" he looked at his father, "To protect the world against Brasa."

"Don't you dare talk like that!" his father drew closer to Hadrian, "That mark is a curse on this family. I do not like this any better than you do, but I will not let you think these things."

"So our family is supposed to drop it's honored and sacred oath because one of your great cousins couldn't keep his hands off one of Sgorion's descendants," Hadrian said through gritted teeth.

"Do not dare question me on the oath," Randolph bit back.

"Then honor it!" Hadrian shouted.

"Get out!" Randolph shouted, "Get out right now!"

And with a wave of his arm, Fallon and Lisbeth were standing back in the study. Aunt Amelia was just setting down the tray of tea. Fallon made her way to closest chair. Her head was spinning.

"You ok?" Lisbeth asked.

"No," she admitted, "That memory answers a lot, but leaves a lot of questions unanswered."

"What was the oath they were talking about?"

"I don't know," she shook her head, "I have to do some research. I know that Hadrian was discussing killing his sister that night."


	11. To Russia

Since that night at Fallon's Aunt Amelia's house Lisbeth had seen little of the witch. It had been nearly 3 weeks with just messages coming and going. Everytime Lisbeth wanted to arrange a meeting Fallon would tell her she was too busy.

_I shouldn't miss her. But I do. _

Lisbeth was generally concerned as to how Fallon was doing and it kept her up at night wondering where she was, what she was doing; who she was seeing.

There was both truth and falsehood to Fallon's words. She was infact very busy. They had been trying to track down Tanglewood for weeks and were finally nearing his possible location. The young Auror was also keeping her distance from Lisbeth at the moment. That memory of Hadrian had shaken her deeply. It threw all she knew about Hadrian and his family out the window. She also knew that her close proximity to the muggle was drawing Lisbeth a lot of unwanted attention from Hadrian's army.

* * *

Lisbeth sat down with Mikael at a local cafe. The two old friends had not seen one another many months and Mikael was becoming concerned with what had happened to the hacker.

"Are you okay?" the journalist asked searching her features, "You haven't returned any of my messages. I know you tend to disappear, but I was beginning to get worried."

"I'm fine," she brushed off the questions.

"What have you been up to?" he stirred his coffee, "How is that new friend of yours?"

"She is fine," Lisbeth shrugged, "Busy."

"Are you two something more?" Blomkvist asked with a bemused smile, but Lisbeth shot him a glare that told him to drop it.

"I've made some head way with those articles that I sent you."

This caught Lisbeth's attention. She had been purposely ignoring that email for not wanting to give any fuel to Mikael's quickly building fire. She didn't know what she and Fallon were, but Fallon had entrusted her with a secret few knew about and she was determined to keep it.

"And?" the young woman asked.

"They believe it to be possibly connected with the Russian mafia," he took a sip of his coffee, "Which would make sense for all the crimes taking place within hours of one another."

_Idiot..._Lisbeth sighed.

"They're hits," he said, "Just one thing I can't figure out is a connection from the victims to the mafia."

_Fallon's secret is still safe. Good. _

"Do you think you could take another look at the victims?"

"Sure," Lisbeth finished her coffee, "I have to go."

And with that she left Blomkvist in the cafe without another word. She was on the subway in a matter of minutes and headed to Fallon's flat. She let herself in. Lisbeth long ago had figured out the keypad code. She took the lift to the top floor and was at Fallon's door in seconds. She held her breath and knocked on the door, but received no answer. The hacker rapped her knuckles on the door again and still received no answer.

_Where are you? _Lisbeth began to fidget. She tried to the door and it clicked open.

The flat looked the same aside from a few pieces of parchment on her dining room table. It was clean and it also looked like it had been a few weeks since it had seen a person. Lisbeth made her way around the flat checking the rooms, but found nothing. She finally came to Fallon's bedroom. The door was unlocked and this room too was clean and empty.

A small envelope placed on the bed had almost escaped her gaze. She set her things down on the bed and picked up the non-descript piece of paper. It was addressed simply, Lisbeth.

She opened it and immediately took a step back for immediately the envelope's shape shifted into a mouth and it began to talk to her in Fallon's voice. All her anxiety quickly vanished. The Auror's voice put her at ease. She missed it.

_I miss Fallon._

"I was wondering when you were going to come around and find this," it laughed, "Took you long enough," it went on, "I know you're probably wondering where I have fucked off too, and as much as I liked to tell you I feel that it is for the best that I don't."

Lisbeth didn't like that, but she let the envelope continue, "I'm sorry I haven't been very good at responding to your letters, but my location makes it rather hard. I promise I will make it up to you when I get back," the envelope went on, "My flat is open to you while I'm away. Make yourself at home and if you ever are in the need for company my Aunt Amelia would like to get to know you better. I'll see you soon." And with that the envelope feel silent and dropped onto the bed.

She sat down on the bed and held the envelope, but now all the paper contained were the words just spoken to her. It didn't stir again.

* * *

"Do you even have any idea where the fuck we are going?!" shouted Isolde over the wind.

The cold and snow were hounding them with every step. To be able to see 20 feet in front of them would have been a gift. All the research had lead them here. They were deep into Siberia. The Ministry had been tipped off by a reliable source that out here somewhere Hadrian was keeping Denis Tanglewood.

Spells and layers of warm clothing were keeping the 3 Aurors warm, but even through all that they could feel the cold sting their bodies. Apparently they were supposed to come across a castle. But they had been walking for what seemed like hours. They couldn't apparate because they didn't know where they were going and they couldn't use brooms due to the weather. Hadrian was good at picking a place to hide someone.

"It had to be around here somewhere!" shouted Crispin, "We're following the directions exactly!"

"We've been wandering around for hours you tit!" she shouted at him.

They were only a few feet from one another, but they might as well have been miles with the way they were shouting over the wind. Fallon was a few feet in front of them when she stopped. The two of them kept fighting.

"Stop!" she roared, "And shutup!"

The two immediately stopped and looked at the young Auror, "What?" muttered Isolde.

"We're here..."

"How?" Crispin sounded confused, "Where?"

Fallon's hand shot out and immediately down to her sides and with that an entire stone wall came out of the blinding snow. It towered over them and went on and on in either direction. The 3 wizards stood before it, staring at its dizzying height.

A seriousness fell over them and they all stepped up to the wall, each placing a hand on the cold stone. They closed their eyes and a shockwave immediately rippled through the wall the reaction to this was a massive section of the wall being blown away leaving a gaping hole for them to enter.

When they stepped through the hole they had entered the former courtyard of the castle which was now dead and barren, but before them stood what was once a massive castle. Much of it had succumbed to time leaving only a shell.

"He's in there somewhere..." Fallon muttered as she trudged on to the front of the castle.


	12. Into the Darkness

A large wooden door was the entrance to the castle. It wasn't locked so Crispin easily pushed it open. It screeched loudly.

"Well now they know we're here..." he snickered.

Fallon looked around the entry way, scratching her neck, "I'm hungry."

Isolde rolled her eyes, "I'm partnered with idiots..."

Crispin and Fallon smiled to one another as they walked deeper into the castle. Beneath their feet was cold stone. It was slick with ice and snow. Above them was crumbling wood and stone with isicles idling over their heads. The three Aurors knew to tread carefully. One misplaced spell could send the whole place crashing down.

"This place is massive. Denis could be anywhere," Isolde studied a torn tapestry on a far wall.

"Should we split up? What if we run into trouble?" asked the young witch.

Fallon and Crispin loved a good fight, but knew they were stronger together then separated, "We stick together," answered Fallon.

"There's no way Hadrian left this entire place unguarded," Fallon muttered as walked deeper into the castle descending a staircase. Fallon touched the last step when she swallowed hard, "I'm about to eat my words."

The stone beneath their feet began to crack and crumbled away. The three Auror's rushed back up the stairs. They stopped a few stairs above the now large black hole, formerly the castle's ground floor. They held their breath and waited only seconds before they heard it. The distinct sound of tortured souls beginning to rise. Within the darkness blood red eyes began to flick open. A half decayed, skeletal hand gripped the final step, pulling with it an equally decaying former human being. It's mouth hung open loosely and its eyes stared at them. The three wizards stared at the decaying warrior and for a moment no one moved. They were sizing one another up.

"Draugrs..." whispered Crispin.

The Draugr dragged himself to his feet and stared down the Aurors. He was covered in ancient armour, a shield in his left hand and a rusted sword in his right. The dead soldier clenched his teeth together and growled.

Fallon flicked her wand and the Draugr was incinerated. But that action only caused a deadly chain reaction. Her incinerating the ambassador to the army of dead caused the soldiers lying in wait to swarm and coming sprinting from the darkness quickly over taking the the stairwell.

"RUN!" shouted Isolde and they all did as she said, bolting up the stairs into the entryway and up another set of stairs. The dead soldiers were like a swarm of locusts, dispersing every where.

"Why did you do that?!" shouted Isolde at Fallon as they continued up the stairs firing of incendiary spells behind them.

"I didn't know they would react like that!" she shouted back kicking a Draugr in the chest and setting it on fire.

"When this is over and if I'm not dead I will kill you."

"First let's survive for that threat to be validated," shouted Crispin as he came up the rear.

The burning soldier were sent hurdling down at the others to try and stay off the oncoming numbers, but nothing seemed to be holding them back. Fallon lagged behind until they reached the top of the stairs and looked beneath them. The dead army was closing in around them. The three of them had minor cuts and bruises from the Draugrs. Fallon looked over the railing and breathed heavily, wiping blood from her brow.

"What are you thinking?" Crispin shouted over the mayhem.

But she stood quietly watching the dead soldiers slowly over take them. She looked over her shoulder at them, "Go on," she said, "Find Denis." And with that she launched herself over the railing and into the abyss.

Crispin shouted her name and went to grab her jacket, but she slipped right through his fingers. He watched, almost in slow motion her disappear into the darkness. His eyes wide in horror and he could no longer see her. He continually shouted her name. His eyes continually searching for his friend and partner.

Crispin could feel Isolde pulling on his robes and faintly hear her shouting his name, but it didn't register. He was numb. He had just watched his fellow Auror jumped into sheer death. Everything came flooding back to Crispin. His senses kicked in and followed Isolde through a door which she quickly sealed behind them.

"I'm going to kill her!" he shouted slamming his fist into the door.

"Do it later," Isolde muttered, "Right now we have to find Denis."

* * *

Lisbeth had taken up residence in Fallon's flat, patiently waiting for her return, but what was 3 weeks quickly turned into 2 months with nothing from her. She was growing agitated and anxious. She had no way of connecting to Fallon's world aside from her Aunt Amelia and although the woman was kind to her she was of no help in the information department.

The young woman slept in Fallon's bed always wearing the skull t-shirt she had taken. She had noticed something on her days out in the town was that she was being followed. Lisbeth saw them around corneres, always one eye on her and the other on her surroundings. They weren't threatening, but she still felt uneasy. They weren't explained followers they were just always there until one day when of her followers finally spoke up.

She had sat down at a cafe and was sipping her coffee while tracking something on the internet.

"Ms. Salander," her name was said with such formality that at first it didn't even register that she was the one being spoken to. She looked up and saw a young man seated across from her. He was thin with jet black hair, light scruff on his face and eyes that had not seen sleep in many days. Lisbeth didn't say a word.

"My name is Moren Foulsay," he said still not getting a response, "I'm an Auror and under Fallon Calvaria's command."

He could tell the mention of Fallon's name peeked her interest and her eyes focused on him more. Making him strangely uncomfortable.

"We know that you've noticed us following you," he swallowed, "We were ordered to do so by the Ministry of Magic under the consideration of Fallon herself."

"Why?" she asked.

"I'm not the one to be disclosing that information to you," he answered sharply, "But we wanted to inform you of our presence that you are under our protection. You are to come to no harm. We will be here until Fallon's return."

"Which is when?"

"That I can not say," and with that he stood up and left her alone. Lisbeth gritted her teeth. Her eyes boring into the back of the Auror's head.

* * *

Crispin and Isolde stood in one of the castle's many towers. It overlooked the former courtyard in the center. That was the only way they had to go was down into the courtyard and after the massive army of dead soldiers they didn't know what was waiting for them outside.

The two Aurors leapt down into the courtyard landing in a large pile of snow. The joking had stopped and the seriousness of the situation settled into their skin. They didn't exchange any words. They didn't need to. The two Aurors were so well trained and in tune with one another they could reach one another with a look. The situation was dire. They didn't know if Denis was still alive, what was going to greet them next and their fellow Auror was now presumed dead.

They walked side by side across the courtyard through nearly 3 feet of snow. The decided against magic for the time being; not wanting to draw any unwanted attention to themselves. They reached a frozen pond in the center. Isolde knelt down wiping away some of the snow.

"Fuck!" she breathed.

Crispin looked down and saw the cause of her fit. Frozen under the ice were bodies. Women, children, and men. Young and old. They were frozen in the throes of death. Isolde turned away as Crispin continued to stare. Judging by their clothing they were recent deaths. The young wizard muttered something under his breath before grabbing Isolde under the arm and getting her to walk.

"Where to next?" he asked looked at a number of different entrances back into the castle. Isolde shrugged and moved to a door to their right. This part of the castle seemed to be more structurally sound. When they entered the room they found themselves in the armoury. There were still shields, swords, axes, bows and a number of other weapons lying about.

The tip of Isolde's wand illuminated the room. It was fairly massive. Enough for dozens upon dozens of soldiers to train within it's wall. They had only taken a few steps inside when they heard a massive explosion. From one of the high windows they could see the part of the castle they had just come from erupt in flames. The tower slowly crumbling. Crispin felt sick knowing there was a possibility that Fallon was in there, somewhere. _We have to keep going. Keep moving. Find Denis. _Crispin repeated this over and over again in his head. That was their assignment. Death was a part of their profession. But he still wasn't grasping the possibility that his friend was truly gone.

"Crispin over here!" he heard Isolde shout from a corner of the room. He rushed over to see her already descending through a trap door. He followed; wand at the ready.

"Denis?" she whispered into the darkness until her wand started to light up everything around them.

The had entered a part of the dungeon.

"Denis?" she whispered again and that's when she heard it. The rattling of chains and a low groan. There in the center of the room, chained by his wrists to the floor was Denis Tanglewood. He was ghostly pale and cowered from the light. His eyes were bloodshot and he look skeletal. He was shivering and huddled in a ball. Isolde ran to his side.

"Denis," she smiled, "We're here."

With a quick flick of her wand she broke the chains bounding him.

"Run.." he said weakly.

"What?" she looked at him.

"Run..." he choked.

A ear piercing screeched echoed all around them.

"Dragon..." Isolde and Crispin exchanged horrified looks.

"We need to move now!" Crispin shouted dragging the wilted Auror to his feet. They raced up the stairs and out into the courtyard just as the wooden floor of the training room splintered. A Hungarian Horntail broke through the floor, smashed easily through the stone wall and found them in the court yard. It roared, breathing fire into the air.

"Isolde take Denis and go!" he shouted at them.

She didn't dare argue and she immediately began to drag the helpless Auror out of harm's way.

Crispin stood his ground as the dragon bared down on him. He used a water shield to protect himself from stream of fire that came at him. He slashed his wand which caused slashes to penetrate the dragon's scaly armour. It reared back; roaring in pain. Blood poured down its chest turning the white snow and deep crimson red.

The massive dragon charged Crispin causing him to take cover behind a massive stone statue. But with a quick swipe of the dragon's talons it was gone. Crispin could feel the blood trickle from a cut to his eye.

He ran back towards the castle walls. As the dragon charged again a massive wall of snow shot up, engulfing the great beast. When the snow settled, the dragon stood frozen in place. Crispin lifted a few large pieces of stone and smashed the dragon to shards of ice with them.

The Auror raced over to Isolde and Denis and was happy to see that his sickly looking friend was still alive. But they were still missing someone; Fallon. Isolde and Crispin looked up into the still burning castle and tower. Denis was pointing to something down along the wall. The two Aurors had to squint before they realized it was a person pulling themselves to a sitting position on the wall.

"Fallon!" they shouted and made their way to her.

She was breathing heavily, covered in blood and soot. Her clothes had been burned and she was bleeding from a few places with a few burns here and there. She smiled up at them.

"Explosion," she breathed, "Unplanned."

Isolde smiled, but it quickly faded when she was blood trickle from the corner of the Auror's mouth. She knelt down and opened her shirt to find 2 puncture wounds in Fallon's side. She could smell it.

"You've been poisoned."

Fallon nodded, "Hey Denis," she smiled. Denis smiled weakly back, "You tired?" she sucked air, "Cause I'm tired..."

Fallon's vision began to get blurry and she couldn't barely hear Crispin and Isolde calling her name. She slumped and remembered only Denis's smile as she blacked out.

* * *

Lisbeth awoke at 4am to heavy banging on the door. She quickly threw on a pair of pants and opened the door to find Moren flanked by a number of unnamed Aurors.

"What?" she muttered rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"You need to come with us."

She arched an eyebrow.

"It's Fallon..." but before he could finish Lisbeth had disappeared back into the bedroom and in a matter of seconds had returned fully clothed and ready to go.

"What are we waiting for?" annoyance in her voice.

Moren nodded quickly, "Take my arm."

She grumbled, but did as the young Auror asked. When she opened up her eyes and her body steadied she found herself in the lobby of St. Mungo's. She was still flanked by at least 6 Aurors.

"Ms. Salander?" a woman wearing green robes rushed toward her, "I'm Lia Taleforth. I'm a healer here."

"Yes." she looked the woman up and down.

"You need to come with me."

"Where's Fallon?" she demanded.

"I'll explain on the way," there was urgency in the healer's voice.


	13. It's Beginning

They entered the lift and it started to move. Lia still had said nothing to Lisbeth over the condition of Fallon and Lisbeth's anxiety was getting harder and harder to hide. The lift ride seemed endless. The young woman's eyes flicked constantly to Lia. The healer towered over Lisbeth and even some of the Aurors around her.

Lia Taleforth was in her mid-thirties. She was nearly 6ft tall, her hair was a platinum blonde pixie cut with 2 earrings in her left ear. Lisbeth could feel the authority radiating off of her. The young healer had already ridden through the ranks of healers at St. Mungo's to become 2nd in command. She was extremely skillful at treating a range of magical maladies. As soon as Fallon was brought into the hospital she knew she had to be the one to take on her case especially when given the information regarding Lisbeth.

"Level 3: Potions and Plant Poisoning," said the woman over the lift.

Before the door could open Lia turned to her, "You won't like what you're about to see," the seriousness of the warning made Lisbeth's stomach churn. She only nodded in response.

The lift door opened and they all exited. They had not made it more than half day the hallway when they heard screams of pain and Lisbeth knew immediately that it was Fallon. The screams echoed down the hall and before she knew what she was doing her legs had started moving and she was running down the hall to the screams.

"LISBETH!" she could hear Lia shouting behind her, but it was too late Lisbeth was on the move.

"Fuck!" was shouted as Lisbeth burst through the door to find Fallon being restrained to her bed by 2 Aurors and another 3 healers standing around her. Lisbeth froze; her eyes wide.

Fallon was clearly in agonizing pain. She writhed and pulled at the restraints. All her muscles were tense and flexed. She was covered in bruises, burns and cuts. The Auror's shirt had been removed. She was heavily bandaged where her bar would have been. Lisbeth's eyes scanned the young witch's body and spotted the 3 deep puncture wounds to her left side. 1 above her navel and the other 2 to the left of her navel they formed a massive black patch of skin. The 3 healers were muttering things under their breath with their wands pointed at Fallon's side.

Lisbeth felt a hand on her shoulder, "Lisbeth you shouldn't be in here."

"I had to see her," she breathed.

"Not like this."

"What happened?" Lisbeth couldn't tare her eyes from Fallon.

"If you go with Moren," Lia said calmly, "There are two people who can tell you better than I can."

Lisbeth nodded.

"I need to continue my work here, Lisbeth," she gave the young woman a reassuring look, "As soon as she is well enough you can come and see her."

"How long?" there was a flicker of concern and emotion in Lisbeth's eyes.

"I don't know," Lia swallowed, "It's a powerful poison."

* * *

Hadrian sat down to dinner, poured himself some Guiness draft and waited for his General to update him.

"Now this dinner can either be satisfying and delicious," he paused raising a finger, "Or unsatisfying and still delicious," he looked up at the middle aged man standing to his right, "Your news decides how I am to eat."

"They found Denis and without much surprise like you stated they overcame the obstacles at the castle, but from our reports she was poisoned."

Hadrian bit into a potato, "How badly?"

"3 points of entry," the General seemed pleased with herself.

"And what do our eyes and ears inside the hospital say?"

"The healers still haven't been able to successfully remove the poison from her system."

Hadrian nodded.

"If they can't successfully stop the poison or remove it in the next 48 hours it will kill her."

"Thank you," Hadrian drank some of the Guiness. The General turned to leave, but Hadrian stopped him.

"I think it's time for another fun activity," a grin slid across the wizard's face, "You know what to do."

"Yes sir," the General smiled and exited the room.

* * *

Lisbeth sank into a chair as Crispin and Isolde's words flowed over her. Fallon hadn't been ignoring her. She had been keeping her safe by keeping her in the dark. She also felt slightly uncomfortable with all the people who were generally concerned about her well being.

_They don't see me as an alien. As a freak._

"Lisbeth?" Isolde knelt down in front of her while Crispin talked with one of the other aurors.

Lisbeth looked up from the floor, "Yes?"

"Are you ok?"

"I'll be fine," she stood up moving away from them, "I need to go for a walk."

* * *

"Just one moment!" shouted Amelia as she finished packing her bag. She had just been informed via owl of Fallon's condition and was heading to see her.

She headed for the door, but stopped when she entered the foyer. There were 3 masked wizards standing there.

Amelia didn't waste time with a quick flick of her finger 2 of them smashed into the ceiling, "What? You thought this was going to be easy."

The third masked intruder wasn't as easy to remove as the other two. Amelia from a few glances guessed it was a woman. She was strong and clearly a lot smarter then her fellow wizards. The masks the intruders wore were different from one another like they had designed them themselves.

This woman wore black mask with a traditional Japanese dragon's face carved into it.

This witch deflected almost all of Amelia's spells and dodged the others. She was calm and had a steady hand. Amelia fell back into the study, but the intruder wasn't far behind.

"What do you want?" she asked striking with another spell, "Did Hadrian send you?"

But she received no answer. The woman kept coming.

"Tell that bastard I'm not interested."

The intruder wasn't interested in talking. She raised her wand over her head and cast a spell Amelia could not deflect. It sent her crashing into the bookcase. She fell like a stone to the floor.

The intruder bent over her, examined her and the last thing Amelia remembered seeing was the dragon mask coming off to reveal a young Japanese woman smiling at her.


	14. Venomous Tentacula

Crispin, Isolde and Lisbeth all sat in silence on the 3rd floor of the hospital. Lisbeth felt if she strained her ears hard enough she could hear Fallon's screams. Her watch indicated that almost half a day had passed since she had arrived, and still no update on the Auror's condition.

She was growing impatient and frustrated. Lisbeth felt useless, but probably just as useless as Fallon's friends and colleagues sitting right beside her. She couldn't have a moment alone without being followed by an Auror or two and none of her electronics worked within the hospital.

"Do you think she'll make it?" Lisbeth finally broke the long silence.

Her question had caught Crispin and Isolde off guard and neither one of them answered right away, but the young hacker waited patiently.

"I honestly don't know, Lisbeth," Isolde looked down, "We've been working with Fallon since she started as an Auror 8 years ago. And we've encountered some pretty fucked up things, but nothing like this."

"We've all taken our fair share of injuries. And come back just fine. Unfortunately Fallon has had to deal with a lot more than any of us."

Lisbeth caught onto Crispin's last sentence and her interest was once again peaked, "What do you mean?"

Crispin caught his slip up, "That's Fallon's business not ours," he saw Lisbeth sink back down, "You want to know her life history. You'll have to ask her. But I'm sure you've figured out a little about her past since she's kept you so close."

"She knew Hadrian when he was younger…" she admitted.

"They were best friends," Isolde shook her head.

"She is very much invested in all of this," Crispin stood, "And I'm sure as you spend more time with her you'll understand why."

_Another dead end. Her past is just as protected as mine. _

Crispin and Isolde could tell that Lisbeth was itching for answers. It seemed in her nature not necessarily to ask for it, but to dig and discover on her own. They knew what she did from the reports. Her means for answers were technology, but here in this world that did no good. She would have to rely on actually talking to people to get what she wanted.

"You'll know all of it soon enough." Isolde looked at her touching her knee.

* * *

Lia and her fellow healers were working tirelessly on Fallon and had only little progress on her. They noticed that the black patch had begun to spread across her body and her condition was rapidly deteriorating.

Fallon would occasionally fight the healers, but not as strong as before. Her breathing was heavy and ragged. She had a fever and she was as white as a ghost. The healers had deduced that the poison came from a plant, but they were still working out what kind of plant.

Lia was studying the black patch of skin very carefully when something struck her.

"Stop!" she shouted. The healers froze lowering their wands.

She leaned in for a closer look and that's when she saw it. The black patch was in fact a deep crimson almost purples.

"Venomous Tentacula," she breathed as she looked at the others, "The blade that stabbed her was coated with it," the healer looked up to one of her colleagues and he knew immediately what to get.

The situation had become dire. Venomous Tentacula was extremely poisonous in all forms and highly fatal.

* * *

The 2 Aurors and Lisbeth looked up as a healer sprinted from the ward where Fallon was being held. The look on his face was serious and the sick feeling in all their stomachs returned.

In just 5 minutes the healer returned clutching something tightly in his fist. Lisbeth had had enough of waiting and followed him with Crispin and Isolde on her heels. They grabbed her just as she entered the room. Lia gave them a glance before taking the vile from the young healer.

Lia approached the bed; swallowed hard. Fallon was slipping in and out of consciousness. Lisbeth couldn't believe the dramatic change her friend had gone through in a matter of hours. She was a shell of what Lisbeth remembered. Lisbeth also knew that Fallon was dying right in front of her. Fallon was struggling to breathe. To even open her eyes was painful.

Fallon stared at Lia as she approached her with a small vial of red fluid. She was having a hard time remembering how she got into this situation. She had been blacking out constantly. She knew she was at St. Mungo's. But other details were blurry.

"The castle!" Fallon shouted, "Denis?! Where's Denis?!"

"Calm down Fallon," Lia reassured her, "He's recovering just a few rooms over. He'll be ok."

Fallon nodded and closed her eyes again. The pain in her body was constant. She had never felt anything like this. Whatever was affecting her she could feel it begin to creep over body. She could feel it in her veins.

Her eyes flicked open for a minute and locked with Lisbeth's. _Lisbeth? _She couldn't determine if she was actually seeing the Swede or just imagining her.

"We know what's affecting you," Lia touched her arm, "I've got something that will help you."

Fallon nodded weakly. Lia took this moment to look up to the healers. She only nodded and the others could see the restraints on Fallon tighten.

"Do you want to stay?" she was looking directly at Lisbeth.

Lisbeth nodded.

Fallon was trying to recall her moment in the castle when her luck ran out. She had been fairing well against the skeleton army.

"_You've got to be shitting me?" she coughed spitting up blood after taking a shield to the face. The Draugrs kept coming. She had wiped out a couple hundred at this point, but their numbers weren't diminishing. _

_She had cast another fire spell which seemed to be the only thing working against them. But there were still too many. _

"_Damn it!" she shouted into the hoard of skeleton warriors. A sword missed her scalp by inches. She jumped back to avoid an axe to her chest when she felt the blade plunge into her side. _

_She staggered back into the darkness, falling against the stone wall. The sword plunged in two mores times before she was able to destroy the dead soldier. Fallon stood and stumbled forward. She spied a window just a few feet above them. It was her only way out. _

"AHH!" she screamed bringing herself back to reality. Her eyes shot open as pain ripped through her body. She fought against the restraints and managed to throw off a few healers, but it was no use. She was too weak.

"Calm down Fallon!" she could hear Lia's voice, but it sounded distant like she was yelling at her from the end of a hallway. The pain was too much. She felt like she was on fire. It started in her toes and traveled up her body. Lia was continually pouring the crimson liquid onto Fallon's wounds as well as uttering spells under her breath. This healing was sapping her energy.

"Stop!" Fallon screamed at Lia, "Lia! STOP!"

Lisbeth struggled against Crispin, but he held her. It was taking everything in him too not to stop what was going on, but he knew better. This was saving Fallon's life.

Fallon felt like she was drowning. The feeling had reached her chest. She was going under. She gasped for air. Her eyes wide and searching the feeling crept up her neck, to her mouth, to her ears, and then to her eyes and that's when the auror blacked out.

"It worked," Lia sighed stepping back wiping sweat from her face.

Lisbeth looked up at her before breaking away from the two aurors and running to Fallon's side. Fallon was breathing heavily, but wasn't struggling. Her fever had gone down immediately and the patch was starting to recede.

The young woman stood at Fallon's side. She didn't touch her immediately. She just stared at her and watched her breath. Every breath that Fallon took the knot in Lisbeth's stomach loosened.

_She's alive. She's alive. _

Lisbeth feared touching her. Like all this had been such a terrible dream and once she touched the witch she would wake up in Fallon's bed, a lone.

"Hadrian!" Fallon roared sitting bolt up right in bed before being pushed back down


	15. A Look Inside

_Fallon pushed open the door to her house. It was dark. It was always dark now. It felt abandoned and it made the new Auror shudder. She could hear a familiar sound coming from the den. She hated that sound. It made her sick. _

_She put her coat on the rack before continuing into the rest of the house. The floor boards creaked beneath her feet. This place was so alien to her now. No longer the home she remembered simply a house. _

_Fallon entered the den; leaning on the door frame. _

"_Oh! Fallon!" her mother said startled, "I didn't hear you come home…" she sniffled wiping her nose, straightening herself up. She placed something down on the coffee table. _

"_It's ok, Mum," Fallon reassured her coming to sit next to her. She picked up the picture from the table. Encased inside it was a photo; a recent photo. _

"_I found this," she laughed. It was shaky, and fake, "I was just going through some things. You know just straightening up." _

_Fallon held the picture in her hand, "How long have you been in here?"_

"_Oh, just a couple of minutes," she lied. _

_The young Auror took her mother's hand in hers, and smiled, "How are you doing?"_

"_I'm fine," she cried, "Really Fallon. I'm doing better," she lied again, "How are you doing?"_

"_I'm ok," Fallon nodded. She placed the picture frame down, "Let's put this back," she smiled, "And I'll make us some dinner. Where's dad?" _

"_He's in the study."_

_Fallon nodded; standing and placing the picture back on the window sill, "I just miss them that's all Fallon," Fallon could hear the tears coming back. _

"_I know, Mum. Me too," she sighed. _

"_My babies!" her mother cried out and the tears started flowing again. She gripped the pillow and cried heavily into it. Crunched into a ball. Fallon bowed her head. This had become habit for her. _

"_They were so young…" she sobbed, "Tegan, my little girl," she was staring at another photo, "And my handsome boy, Cillian." _

_Her mother's crying was uncontrollable, "Ok mum. Let's just head to bed. You need to rest." She helped her mother off the sofa and down the hallway. _

"_I'm sorry Fallon!" she cried into her shoulder, "I want them back! I want them back now!" _

_Fallon didn't answer. She helped her mother down the hall, up the stairs and into her parent's bedroom. She pulled the covers back and laid her mom down before tucking her in. _

_In the light she saw just how much her mother had been affected. She looked hollow and her eyes didn't have the same shine anymore. Her mother looked so different. Her hair was messy, her face had seemed to age so much in just a short amount of time. _

"_Night Mum," she kissed her mother's cheek, and touched her mum's temple uttering a spell under her breath to help her sleep. She looked back once more before turning off the light and closing the door as her mother's sobs slowly began to fade. _

_Fallon headed back down the stairs to the study. The light was on, but she didn't hear movement inside. She had become accustomed to this too. She opened the door to find her father asleep in an arm chair, in front of the fire, a half empty bottle of whiskey in his hand. She looked at his desk. It was in disarray. _

_Fallon's dad was a ministry official, but that had fallen apart. She remembered both of her parents being such strong wizards, but this had taken so much out of them and they never recovered. She was watching them die right in front of her. _

_Her father had aged greatly. His once strawberry blonde hair was now grayer then she remembered. He let his appearance go. His face held a fast growing beard and his clothes were old and unwashed. Fallon helped him out of the chair, placing the bottle of liquor down and up into the bed beside her mother. _

_Fallon stood in the door way watching her parents sleep. This had become routine for her. She came home every night from her work to find her mother had been crying for hours and her father passed out drunk in his study. _

_It broke her heart every time, but she never showed it. The young witch had to be strong for them. Her family now rode on her shoulders, but even she was having a hard time keeping it together. On the outside she was numb. She had always been better with dealing with problems then others in her family, but to see her parents slowly disappear like this was killing her. _

_Fallon found herself standing back in the den in front of the picture she found her mother with. She lifted it off the sill and slid down against the wall. _

_The photo was taken 2 years ago when Fallon had just become an Auror. It was a photo of her and her 2 older siblings. Her sister, Tegan was the oldest and her brother Cillian was the middle child and Fallon was the youngest. It was them in front of the Ministry fountain on Fallon's first day of work. Her dad had taken it. _

_She smiled at that memory. She had achieved her dream of becoming an Auror and an even bigger goal of finally working with her siblings. They were close. 8 years separated her and Tegan, but the three of them had always been so close. _

_Fallon traced her fingers over the picture as her smile faded as she remembered when everything changed. Hadrian had come back into their lives; into every witch and wizard's life. _

_They had been sent to Hadrian's house. Fallon remembered watching her best friend slaughter his family right in front of her. The people she considered her second family died right there in front of her. The two of them had dueled for nearly 2 hours when Tegan and Cillian finally arrived. _

_In his absence he had grown very strong. They had dueled at Hogwarts before, but it had always been friendly. To test one another's skills, but now it was to kill one another. Fallon would never forget the look in his eyes that night. _

"_Hadrian!" Tegan shouted drawing her wand, "Turn yourself in!" _

_Their village was burning around them. Friends of theirs lay in the street dead. Not only had he gone after his family, but the village as well. _

"_This fight is between Fallon and I. Leave Tegan and Cillian and you'll escape death," he warned focusing his gaze on them._

_Fallon wished to that day that they had left. That they had taken his warning and left, but they were just as dedicated to being an Auror as she was, but Fallon also knew for as good as her siblings were at magic she was better. She had always stood out for her magical abilities. She could survive Hadrian, but her siblings could not._

"_Fine," he muttered and in just 4 quick moves his siblings lay dead on the ground; blood pooling around them._

"_NO!" Fallon screamed. The energy in her surged; she cast a spell at Hadrian that it knocked him sideways. She charged, knocking him to the ground. _

"_Stop this now!" she shouted at him slashing him the face with a swipe of her hand. He swung his arm across his body and was she thrown off him and slammed into the ground hard. Fallon was on her feet in seconds, but that's all it took for him to vanish into flames. _

_Fallon rushed over to her siblings, but she knew she was too late. They were dead. She knelt between them and hand in each hand. She sobbed on the cold street as more Aurors arrived around her. _

_She remembers them helping her up, but she refused to leave her siblings. The young Auror also remembered telling Harry that she would personally break the news to her parents. _

_Everything moved in slow motion the rest of that day. Her mother broke down into her father's arms. He was barely able to hold her up as he lost his composure. There were people moving all around and her and the memory that stuck with her the most was watching her parents collapse into one another. _

_If anyone didn't know them they would have thought she was just another Auror telling these two parents their children were dead, but she was also their child, but she placed a distance between her and them. She didn't kneel down to cry with them or hold them to console them in their hour of need. _

_She could still feel their hands in hers. They had still been warm when she went to them. She wanted to keep that feeling as every other emotion rushed from her body. Fallon had detached herself from her parents. She would bare the pain in a different way. Silent and buried. _

_Fallon stood from her place on the den's floor still clutching the photograph in her hand as she ascended the stairs to her parent's room. They were asleep now hopefully at peace for the next few hours when the cycle would start all over again. _

_The young Auror cracked the door and stared at them asleep in their bed. She made the decision that night to end it all. She wanted them to be peaceful and not filled with sorrow and pain. She rubbed her eyes and sighed heavily. _

"_This is right," she said to herself. _

_Fallon slowly moved her arm across the room and in that instance every memory her parents had of her and her siblings vanished from their minds. The pictures in the house that once held her, Tegan and Cillian's faces disappeared. Fallon stood motionless in the doorway. Her parents seemed to rest easier all of a sudden and she felt a flicker of relief. _

_Fallon never said goodbye. She never kissed their cheeks or left them anything. She left that night without a word and never returned. Her parents awoke the next morning with no recollection of what they had lost. They woke up happy. _

Fallon awoke with the light on her face. Her eyes adjusted to a familiar setting. She was lying in her bed in her room. The covers bunched around her waist. She was wearing only sweatpants. She felt the bandage around her chest and her fingers traced the puncture wounds. They were beginning to heal.

She had no idea what time it was. She guessed early morning. The Auror felt amazing; tired, but amazing.

The witch looked to her left and there fast asleep half hidden under covers was Lisbeth. It took a lot of strength from Fallon to roll slightly to the left. She traced her fingers down Lisbeth's bare arm and up to her cheek, her thumb brushing it lightly. Fallon smiled, and kissed the young woman's cheek.

Fallon lay back down and closed her eyes. She didn't sleep and she wasn't tired, but she wanted to enjoy this moment because she knew she would be going right back into the fire as soon as her feet touched the floor.


	16. About Time

Lisbeth awoke and stretched. Her hand reached for Fallon sleeping beside her, but it felt nothing, but empty sheets. Her eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. Lisbeth searched around the room and didn't see Fallon.

"Damn it!" she heard Fallon curse. She ran out of bed and into the living room where she found Fallon standing over a dropped plate of bacon. The Auror looked very sad. She was still wearing only a pair of sweats, but had managed to throw on a loose tank top.

"I dropped my bacon," Fallon looked up at Lisbeth.

Lisbeth walked over to Fallon and helped her sit down, "Stay. I'll make you more."

Fallon's eyes lingered on the t-shirt and underwear clad swede as she walked back into the kitchen.

A few minutes later Lisbeth re-entered the living room to find Fallon watching cartoons. Lisbeth stood for a moment holding a large plate of bacon and just watched her. Fallon had a laid back personality, but this was the first time in awhile since the hacker had met the witch that she saw her truly laugh and smile.

Lisbeth set the plate down which Fallon reached for before her hand was slapped away by Lisbeth.

"Take off your shirt." She commanded.

"But I want bacon."

"Take off your shirt." She said again.

Fallon grumbled before doing as she was told. Once again Fallon's sculpted body came into view. She was slender, but muscular. Her muscles were defined and hard like someone who competed in track. Her tattoos covered a large part of her body and they all seemed to have their own story. But Lisbeth could also see a large number of scars that covered the young woman's body.

"Lia the healer gave me an ointment that she said we have to apply to your wounds three times daily," Lisbeth held up a medium sized bottle of blood red liquid, "Lay back."

Fallon did as she was told. Lisbeth poured a droplet of the red liquid to each of the puncture wounds. The witch hissed in pain, but it quickly subsided as the ointment was absorbed into the wounds.

"How are you feeling?"

"Surprisingly well," Fallon stated checking her wounds, "A little sore."

She felt Lisbeth's warm hand tracing the outline of her Irish Elk tattoo that ran up her side. The two women made eye contact. Fallon grabbed Lisbeth and kissed her hard. Lisbeth kissed her back and straddled her lap. The two kissed passionately; their hands running all over each other.

Lisbeth pulled away breathing hard, "What took you so long?"

"Not dying was a big concern of my life not too long ago," Fallon smiled biting Lisbeth's neck eliciting a moan from the swede.

Lisbeth pulled on the Auror's hair, "Smartass," she growled as Fallon grabbed her hips. The two women ended up against the wall. Lisbeth couldn't believe how strong Fallon was, but then again Lisbeth didn't weigh that much.

Lisbeth moaned and dug her nails into Fallon as she felt the Auror's teeth sink into her neck and her tongue flick across her skin. As their tongues fought one another and their hands discovered one another's bodies they tumbled into Fallon's bedroom.

Fallon threw the young swede onto her bed and stood staring at her. Pure lust was running through their veins as they stared down one another. Lisbeth eyed Fallon's stunning body. She was breathing heavy and her muscles were tense. Lisbeth moved to the end of the bed and grabbed the waist of Fallon's pants pulling her close. Her tongue traced the witch's abs eliciting a moan.

Lisbeth was pushed onto the bed and she felt the weight of Fallon on top of her as they two locked lips again. Fallon flipped Lisbeth onto her stomach and bit down hard into her shoulder. Lisbeth threw head back and moaned gripping the sheets.

"These need to come off…" Fallon smiled as she peeled off Lisbeth's underwear. Another moan came from Lisbeth's lips as she felt the witch's fingers trace over her stomach and head down.

Fallon kissed down her back and back up to her neck when Lisbeth felt something foreign between her legs. She was about to protest when she recognized the feeling and helped Fallon guide it into her.

"Fuck," Lisbeth panted, "Me."

Fallon smiled hungrily as she buried herself in Lisbeth. She quickly cast a silencing charm over the flat as to not disturb the neighbors because she knew this was going to get loud.

* * *

The two women lay in a mass of sheets and blankets breathing heavily. Lisbeth's naked body pressed to Fallon's naked torso. A simple grin on Fallon's face and possibly a slight one of Lisbeth's.

The young swede drew circles on Fallon's stomach, "What now?"

"What do you mean?" her fingers stroking Lisbeth's back.

"Hadrian…" she muttered kissing her ribs.

"I'm taking my vacation," and with that she rolled out of bed and strode stark naked out of the room. Lisbeth hungrily watched every inch of Fallon.

"HOLY TITS!" Fallon shouted, "It's 2 days till Christmas."

She popped her head in the bedroom again, "You jewish?"

"No."

"Catholic?"

"No."

"Jehovah?"

"No."

"Muslim?"

"No."

Fallon nodded, "Stay here," and was gone again, "And don't get dressed!"

* * *

Amelia awoke on soft carpet. She didn't know how long she had been asleep. A few hours, maybe a few days. She pulled the mask off her face and a lavish room came into view.

_What the hell?!_

Her vision was blurry, but she came around and found herself in a bedroom. The Japanese woman from before sat in a cushiony chair in the corner; twirling her wand in her fingers.

"Who are you?" Amelia demanded getting to her feet and fixing her hair.

"You honestly don't remember Amelia?" she looked at her.

Amelia stared closer at the woman and drew closer, "Tomoe?" her eyes shot open.

Tomoe nodded with a smile, "It's been awhile. How have you been?"

"I could be better," she looked at herself in the mirror, "One of Hadrian's I see?"

"We all have our alliances."

"Clearly," Amelia snorted, "How old are you now?"

"26."

"Same as Fallon," she nodded, "She still leave a sour taste in your mouth?" Amelia sneered.

Tomoe clicked her tongue and stood, "I'm not here to discuss ancient matters."

Tomoe was of average height. Jet black hair and strikingly beautiful features. Both parents were of Japanese descent. She had the body of a dancer, but the strength of a gymnast. Amelia remembered her from the age of 11 when Fallon had introduced her in Diagon Alley. She, Hadrian and Fallon would become inseparable.

"You've changed," Amelia looked the young woman up and down. She spied a few tattoos and a nose ring.

Tomoe snorted in response, "Hadrian will be in to see you," she stated, "Be lucky you're not in the basement."

Tomoe exited the room leaving Amelia to her own devices. To sit and wait for an old friend.

* * *

"Ok come out!" Fallon shouted. Lisbeth rolled her eyes as she got out of bed and threw on an old t-shirt.

What greeted her when she came into the living room was not what she expected. The whole apartment was decorated for Christmas. She looked all around. This was something she was not used to. Her whole life the luxury of a simple Christmas had evaded her. She didn't know how to react until she saw Fallon's glowing face. In her eyes she saw that childish nature. That little kid creeping up and past all the bullshit of the last few months.

"Well?" Fallon walked over.

"No tree?" this question deflated Fallon completely. It was not the reaction she expected, but after spending so much time with Lisbeth she should have realized it. Then her face lit up.

"Do you…" Fallon kissed Lisbeth's neck, "want to go get one?"

As soon as Fallon's lip touched Lisbeth's skin. She lost all control. She grabbed the Auror by the hand and led her back into the bedroom, "When we're done."

Lisbeth stood in a large clearing. There was nearly 4 feet of snow on the ground. She was tightly bundled up. Fallon walked up next to her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Which one?"

The young swede looked at the line of trees before picking out a decent one. Fallon nodded and proceeded to chop it down. Lisbeth took this moment to think over her situation with the witch. Her closest thing to a relationship was with Mimi if she could even consider it one. And after the incident with Mikael she didn't know if she ever wanted to be close to someone again, but here she was with a girl she had met only months before and she couldn't picture herself without her. It wasn't an obsessive feeling she felt for her. It was feelings. It was a sense of security with her and the need to protect her in return. Fallon generally made her happy and put her at ease. They both had their demons and in an unspoken way Fallon understood when Lisbeth needed her time.

They arrived back to Fallon's flat and Fallon with a snap of her fingers the tree was all set up.

"Ah done!" Fallon smiled, "Now we're ready for Christmas."

* * *

Amelia sat reading in the bay window of her room. She had no idea where she was. Maybe in Hadrian's family home? There was no use panicking. She figured she was safe. Hadrian didn't want her. He wanted Fallon and she would do everything in her power to hold him off.

There was a knock on the door and then the turning off a key and the click of a lock. Amelia looked to the door as it opened. The color from her face disappeared and her eyes grew wide.

"Hello Aunt Amelia," the voice was one she would never forget.

"Hello Hadrian."


	17. Closer and Closer

_The windows behind Fallon blew out. She shielded herself as she felt the glass against her skin. A ringing in her ears and smoke burn her eyes. _

"_Onda incendio!" she shouted. A massive wall of fire erupted from behind her and spilled towards Hadrian. Her left arm slumped at her side, blood dripping from her fingertips. _

"_We're too evenly matched my friend!" she heard him call over the roaring fire. All the smoke and chaos made it impossible for them to see one another. They had been fighting blindly for hours. _

"_This can't go on," she spit blood, "forever Hadrian."_

"_Seems like it will," he chuckled. _

"_I don't want to lose," she parried a bolt of lightning and responded with two spears of ice, "And I know you don't want to."_

"_Should we draw straws?"_

"_20 questions?" _

_It was just like they were back in school. Constantly pushing one another; always competitive. But now instead of congratulating one another on their power it was to see who could destroy the other first. _

"_VENTO FORTE!" she swirled her wand above her head and from the clouds came a mighty tempest. Lightning spidered across the sky and it began to rain heavily. For the first time in nearly 3 hours she finally saw her friend across the way. He too was badly beaten up, but standing. She could make out blood on his face. _

_He tried to defend himself against the storm, but the cyclone became 2 and then into 3 and before Hadrian had time to react he was taken up into the winds and struck by a thick bolt of lightning. _

_Fallon sighed, "I win," and sank to the ground as blood washed away from her. The last thing she remembered was hitting the ground. _

* * *

"That son of a bitch!" Fallon roared. The table flew across the room. Lisbeth sat on the couch and watched her wizard destroy half the flat.

Lisbeth figured it was best to just let Fallon have her moment before she stepped in. They had been awoken out of a sound sleep by the screech of an owl. Whatever the letter contained had set Fallon completely off and she knew it dealt with Hadrian. She stormed off into the room.

"What are you doing?" Lisbeth asked.

"Getting dressed," she said with anger in her voice.

Lisbeth leaned over and picked the letter up from the table and read the very simple sentenced scratched onto the parchment.

_She makes a very good chess partner. _

* * *

"Your move," Hadrian leaned back smoke billowing from his nose.

"So what is your plan exactly, Hadrian?" Amelia studied the board, "You've been very busy lately."

"Always needing information Aunt Amelia," he snickered, "Some things never change," he blew an "O" and sat quietly for a moment watching Amelia.

"It's simple," he looked at her, "I want change."

"That's not simple, Hadrian. And you know it," she made her move and took a sip of tea. She eyed him for a moment. And for the first time in awhile Hadrian felt uncomfortable. Amelia was always a figure of authority to him and it seems like it hadn't changed.

"You've been settling scores. Still holding onto by gone grudges. Is it really worth all of this?"

"There's more to it than simply settling scores."

"Then what's the change you want?" she took his pawn, "Voldemort wanted to destroy muggles and half-bloods. So did Grindelwald. So do many dark wizards."

"That's not what I want."

"Clearly," she took another sip of tea, "You've been killing everyone equally."

Hadrian snorted in laughter. He loved and missed her wit.

"So what is it then?" she pried him again.

"Do you really wish to know?" he looked at her.

She nodded, opening another tea bag. He smiled and proceeded to add more tobacco to his pipe and in those few seconds she took time to examine him. She had last seen Hadrian when he was 20. Some years ago. But he hadn't changed much. He was the striking image of his father. His hair was cut shorter and a slight scruff had set in, but he was handsome. He was thin and muscular with a wicked smile and the same intoxicating personality.

"This is a vendetta against your family isn't?" she set her cup down. Her question left him without a smart remark, "For allowing your sister to live."

"I took care of them," his humor gone, "I'm tired of these separate worlds, Amelia."

"You know it is not possible, Hadrian. It would never work."

"I will make it work."

"Always so stubborn," she shook her head, "Then what do you want with Ms. Salander?"

"I'm going to finally finish my family's duty. And use her lineage to my advantage at the same time."

"You can't control Brasa. Only Sgorion can."

"Sgorion doesn't exist anymore. But Lisbeth Salander is very much alive," he smiled wickedly and leaned back in his chair.

Amelia finally saw the evil that resided so deeply in Hadrian. It was hatred behind his eyes and in his smile. Hatred that fueled everything he was doing. He just couldn't let go.

"Now if you'll excuse me," he stood placing his pipe in his pocket, "We will having a visitor soon."

* * *

"Where are you going?" Lisbeth demanded. She had finally dressed herself when she realized just how serious the situation had become.

Fallon threw on her jacket and turned to Lisbeth before opening the door, "You don't leave this apartment ok?" her hand on her hip, "You'll be safe here."

"No," she grabbed her arm, "Stay."

"No," she said sternly, "Not this time."

_But I nearly lost you last time, _"Fine," she let go of Fallon. Fallon looked her over, kissed her on the cheek and then was gone.


	18. Reunited

Fallon apparated inside her family's Swedish estate she didn't even have her bearings when the large oak table in the dining room exploded into a thousand pieces. She felt the wooden shards cut into her skin.

"What the fuck?" she muttered. She pinned herself to the wall and peaked around the corner into the hall. It was dark in the house as per usual. The Auror looked at the destroyed table and sigh heavily, shaking her head. She wiped blood from her cheek and eyed the hall again.

_This is a serious burglar. _

She stayed against the wall and moved into the hall. The closest open door led into the study. She wanted the lights off. That way none of them were at an advantage. But one advantage that she had over whoever was in her house was that it was her house.

She drew closer to the study. She had made it through the hall without being blown up. She took this a as success. Fallon looked into the study just as the wall above her head exploded just like the table. She dropped to the ground and backed out into the middle of the hall. Dust covered her face and mixed with the blood still running down her cheek.

"I'm not in there," a voice echoed through the house. The house was nearly pitch black. The street lights illuminated a few areas, but aside from that it was a blind fight.

_I know that voice. _

"Figured it out yet?" the voice called out again.

"How have you been Tomoe?" Fallon said smiling and getting to her feet.

"It's been awhile hasn't it, Fallon?" amusement in her old friend's voice.

"I take it you didn't stop by to catch up?" Fallon walked down the hall towards a flight of stairs.

"In a way this is catching up. Just not as friendly."

"Clearly," Fallon laughed, "You owe me a new dining room table."

Fallon made her down the stairs towards the family's subterranean vault where all of their most prized possessions and heirlooms were kept.

"I'm curious to know how you got in here, but then again you were always full of surprises."

"Are you talking about our old sex life or just in general?" Tomoe said amused.

"Probably both," Fallon reached the large door. It was a large metal door with the family crest on it. A massive elk.

"Skydda…" Fallon said to the elk. It turned to her and nodded before opening the door to the vault.

She stepped into the family vault. It was a massive stone cavern carved right out of the bedrock. It housed her father's family's possessions. The Swedish side. Her mother was Irish. It was her father who shared the bloodline with Valia Maske.

"I've been waiting a long time for you," Tomoe was seated in a large cushy chair in front of a pit carved into the stone ground; a fire roaring in it.

"I highly doubt that," Fallon slipped her wand back into her jacket.

Tomoe smiled before standing. She had a toned and slender body from years of dancing and martial arts. Fallon knew her strength. This wasn't the first time they had fought.

"I could ask why you're here or who you're with, but I already know all of that."

"So why not just give it to me?" Tomoe began to walk toward the Auror.

Fallon watched her every movement. Tomoe's specialty was close combat and she was quick. Very quick. The young witch remembered every inch of the Japanese woman's body. She knew what could make her weak in the knees and the touch that could make her scream and the touch that could make her melt.

"I remember that look," Tomoe was now standing in front of Fallon, "Undressing me with your eyes. I miss it," she reached out, but Fallon grabbed her hand.

"No touching," Fallon smiled. Her head went back as she felt the heel of Tomoe's boot graze her chin.

The two women leapt away from each other, "Does the vault still have the no-magic charm on it?"

"What kind of question is that?" Fallon charged her former lover. The Auror grabbed a short sword off a display rack and Tomoe grabbed a spear.

* * *

"It's been awhile, Lisbeth," Mikael shifted in his seat as they were poured wine. He nodded to waitress to stop.

"I've been busy," she said taking a sip. Out of the corner of her eye she saw movement. It was one of the Auror's ordered to keep her safe trying to be inconspicuous in the restaurant. It took all of her convincing to get them to let her meet Mikael for dinner. The flat was suffocating her. She usually would have enjoyed being cooped up inside all day, but she had no interest in the books around her, her electronics; nothing. She had called Mikael last minute and he agreed immediately to meet her.

"Is everything ok?" she was a little more distant than usual.

"I need you to do me a favor."

"Anything."

Lisbeth knew what she was doing would not be ok with Fallon, but she had no other choice. She needed help and Mikael was the only one she could trust.

"Give me your phone," he did as she asked.

2 minutes later she handed it back to him, "What do you want me to do?"

She shook her head, "Everything is on there. We're not discussing it anymore."

He nodded, picking up a menu, "Hungry?"

"Always," she sipped her wine.

"How's that friend of yours?" he asked skimming over the menu.

"Good," Mikael was used to the one word responses.

"She couldn't join us? I would love to meet her."

"She's busy," Lisbeth finished her wine. She suddenly felt very uneasy. The young swede hadn't heard from Fallon in almost 2 days. Her protectors were quieter than usual. Her anger at Fallon's sudden leaving had subsided and now she was generally worried, but to Mikael it was her normal stone cold features.

* * *

"Where the dagger darling?!" Tomoe delivered a swift kick to Fallon's ribs as she laying bleeding on the cold stone floor.

"Jump off a cliff," she laughed as she got to her knees.

Tomoe stepped back, spitting blood. They were both bruised, bleeding and nearing exhaustion. Fallon cracked a smile as Tomoe punched her in the face. She went in for another quick punch, but the Auror grabbed her fist and slammed her into the ground.

Fallon straddled Tomoe pinning her arms to her sides, "This seems familiar."

"Hell woman when was the last time you got laid?" Fallon coughed as she caught her breath.

"And like you have?" Tomoe tried to get up, but Fallon was too strong.

"None of your business," Fallon smiled.

Fallon felt Tomoe's hips shift under her and before she knew it she was on her back with Tomoe's thighs were around her neck slowly crushing her wind pipe.

"Enough!" the witch shouted, "Where's the dagger Fallon?!"

"Fuck," she gasped, "yourself."

Tomoe squeezed tighter. Fallon took her last gulp of air and with her left hand slammed her fist as hard as she could into the Japanese woman's kidney. Tomoe let out a wail of pain and her grip loosened just enough for Fallon to break free.

The Auror was on her feet in seconds. She delivered a few well deserved kicks to Tomoe's ribs. She howled and curled into a ball gripping her ribs.

Fallon dropped to her knees and pried Tomoe open so she could see her face, "I know you're the one who took my Aunt."

Fallon's grip on Tomoe tightened to the point where it really began to hurt. Her knuckles were turning white and the Auror could see the fear in her former friend's eyes. Fallon pulled back and punched Tomoe as hard as she could in the face. Tomoe went limp.

The young witch got to her feet, spitting blood. She headed toward a plain stone column not far from where Tomoe's body was laying. She laid her hand on a stone a few inches above her and swiped across. The column began to split in two one half disappearing into the ceiling and the other half into the floor.

At its center suspended in the air was the dagger, "You think we leave this shit out in the plain sight." Fallon grabbed the dagger. She gave Tomoe a passing glance before leaving the vault and sealing the door.

* * *

"Where is she?" Fallon asked the Auror stationed outside the flat. He gave her the name of the restaurant. She was gone in seconds.

Fallon touched the ground as the car to her right exploded. She ran ahead to the restaurant. A shop window blew out. She continued running.

Mikael was just about to cut into his steak when they were alerted to the commotion outside. The could hear the explosions, and people screaming. Everyone in the restaurant was on their feet and looking around.

"What is going on?" he asked as he headed to the windows with a view to the street. He got within a few feet when the window exploded showering everyone with glass. Mikael was thrown back.

Lisbeth rushed to his side, "Are you ok?"

"Yea," he shook the glass from his hair, "What the fuck is that?"

They could see a cloaked figure step through the blown window. Smoke was everywhere. Another figure came up behind them and dragged them by their neck out the window. For a moment it was silent and then a loud bang followed by a flash of light.

_Fallon?! _

Mikael grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down, "Stay down."

There were more loud cracks and they could see more anonymous figures through the smoke. They were fighting one another. Lisbeth wretched her hand away and was out the window before Mikael could get to his feet, but once he was he ran after her.

"Lisbeth!" he shouted, "Wait!"

They were in the street and all around them were anonymous people fighting one another. Civilians had taken cover in building, behind cars and even one man was in a tree. At least 6 witches and wizards filled the street. Mikael looked around him trying to find Lisbeth.

Fallon wrestled Tomoe on the ground, "Fucking hell! You don't quit do you?!"

"Punching me in the face isn't going to stop me!" Tomoe had a broken nose and a black eye, but it wasn't like Fallon was any better off. They both looked like prize fighting boxers that had gone too many rounds.

They fired spell after spell at one another. The biggest victims of these spells were the surrounding area.

Fallon could hear someone yelling over all the chaos. Out of the corner of her eye she could see someone running towards being chased by a man she didn't know, but she recognized Lisbeth immediately. Her eyes went wide as Tomoe turned to the hacker and smiled.

She raised her wand and flicked it at Lisbeth, but Fallon got to her first. She stood in front of the Lisbeth, shot out her arms and neutralized the spell instantly.

"Don't you ever!" Fallon shouted. The ground began to shake around Tomoe. A storm cloud appeared overhead and lightening began to spider across the sky. The wind picked up and that's when Tomoe realized it was time to leave. She was gone before Fallon could strike. And with her went Hadrian's followers.

Fallon exhaled and the storm disappeared as she caught her breath. She turned to Lisbeth and smiled.

"Hey," she said, "I missed you."

"Lisbeth!" Mikael caught up to her, but he was blocked by the young Auror, "Don't come any closer."

Fallon felt a hand on arm telling her to lower her wand. She did as Lisbeth wanted her to, "Fallon this is Mikael. Mikael this is Fallon."

The two looked at one another without saying a word for a moment. Mikael looked dumbfounded. He looked all around him, at Fallon, then to her wand then back to Lisbeth then back to Fallon. He straightened his jacket.

Fallon smiled and put away her wand. She picked some glass out of her cheek, and wiped blood from her hands.

"Quite a night we're having," she grinned awkwardly looking around them, "Quite."

Mikael just stared.


	19. Called Out

"What?" Mikael paused to compose himself, "Who? What? Just what?" he spit out.

"It's best that we go some place to talk," suggested Fallon.

They ended up back at Fallon's flat. Lisbeth made Mikael a cup of coffee before taking a seat next to Fallon her hand resting on the back of her neck. Fallon could feel her finger lightly stroking her neck.

"So this is your friend?" Mikael looked Fallon over. He learned after meeting Lisbeth never to judge someone based on their appearance, but Lisbeth's "friend" was quite formidable looking especially the boring gaze she held on him. He was being interrogated without words.

"Yes," she said.

"What is it exactly that you do?" he stirred his drink.

"I'm an Auror for the Ministry of Magic."

"There's no such thing," he muttered as he drank.

"I'm a witch Mr. Blomkvist."

"So you're telling me what I saw out there was magic?" he snorted, "Bull. Nothing more than a few parlor tricks. Smoke screens. I must have got hit in the head or something."

Lisbeth could feel Fallon tense as the young witch sat forward and stared directly at Mikael. Mikael felt like a vice grip had been placed onto his head and it was slowly being tightened. He was thrown back against his chair, the cup of coffee shattering into pieces on the ground. Mikael could feel his very thoughts being invaded. The journalist made brief eye contact with Fallon.

_This is no parlor trick._

That's all he heard before he blacked out.

"What did you do?" Lisbeth went to help Mikael.

"Sit back down," that anger had been directed to her. She suddenly felt very small in Fallon's presence. Fallon walked over to the incapacitated Mikael. The witch reached into his jacket pocket and fished out his cell phone.

"Wake up!" she shouted at him.

She held the phone up to Lisbeth, "You put something on this Lisbeth. What?!"

"What the fuck was that?!" Mikael choked rubbing his head.

"I read your mind," she stared him down, "What has Lisbeth told you?"

"What are you talking about?" he got to his feet, "She didn't tell me anything."

"What's on this? Why did you give it to him?" Lisbeth could tell she had betrayed Fallon's trust. The hurt was written all over the witch's face.

"I wanted him to look into the murders," she muttered.

"What?"

"Since you've been off doing God knows what I've been doing my own research. There had to have been a reason for Hadrian killing off those people. Didn't you ever think there was some connection?"

Fallon was quiet with seething rage for Lisbeth and this muggle who had been allowed into their world.

"They were all related to Armant Sgorion in some way and therefore connected to me."

"How did you find this out?"

"Technology has its advantages," she snapped, "All their births and deaths are public records so I dove into some genealogy. Hadrian has been systematically killing off the whole bloodline. Muggle and wizard a like."

Fallon ran her fingers through her hair, sighing heavily. She was speechless. _How could we have been so oblivious? _

Lisbeth pulled her back down onto the couch. Mikael felt a sudden pang of jealousy run through him as he saw this show of affection from her to Fallon. He had never had that with the young swede. Their relationship had been more physical than emotional. The journalist knew all of her secrets, but could never break into her. But there was obviously something that Lisbeth saw in Fallon that made her act this way. The two women had a very deep connection. He was happy for his friend. She had someone. And that comforted him as much as it comforted Lisbeth.

"Hadrian was working his way down a list."

"You are supposed to be the grand finale," Fallon muttered, "Explain the phone again?"

"On it are all the non-wizards Hadrian has killed off. Only 4 murders were reported in the paper the rest I can't find any evidence of. And the 4 that were reported their articles have vanished off the web and archives," she said, "Mikael is an investigative journalist and a very good one. I wanted him to look into who is working with Hadrian to make sure these murders were never reported."

"And you did all of this while," she was cut off.

"Yes while you were off getting nearly killed."

* * *

"Are you mad?" Lisbeth watched Fallon from the couch.

Fallon didn't answer, but paced back and forth in the living room. Mikael had left more than an hour ago and since then only a few words had been passed between the two women.

"What?" she started, "What? Would make you think that was ok?!"

"You didn't give me a choice," she answered.

"There is a reason wizards and muggles don't interact on that level!"

"Explain."

"Imagine knowing that there is a race of humans fully capable of everything people believed to be fairy tales. That dragons, giants, sea monsters, mermaids and a crap ton of other stuff existed, that we wizards and witches are capable at our worst moments actually genocide," she was livid, "People would go ape shit."

"I didn't."

"You're not most people, Lisbeth."

"I know."

Fallon sighed and sat down in one of the chairs, "That's not a dig or an insult. The reason you accept us is because you've lived your life on the edge, being seen and at the same time blending in so you're just a glance. An after thought. That is every witch and wizard," she put her head in her hands and laughed, "It sounds so stupid. So primitive not to mix, but we've tried and it's lead to nothing, but bad things. Finding someone who understands and is accepting is hard."

Fallon stood and walked out of the room. There was silence in the whole flat. Lisbeth sat with her knees tucked to her chest looking at the empty space where Fallon once sat. Then her eyes shifted to the ground. The shower turned on. She waited a few moments before standing and as she made her way to the bathroom she left a trail of clothing in her wake.

"I'm mad at you," Fallon tried to sound stern.

Lisbeth stared at her, "And I'm mad at you. So shutup." She pushed her lover against the tiling and kissed her passionately. Lisbeth felt Fallon resist for a moment before her hands snaked around her.

* * *

"You had her Tomoe!" Hadrian shouted. Amelia was in the study watching as all of this unfolded.

"It's not that easy, Hadrian and you know it," she hesitated, looking at Amelia, "She's powerful. She was even holding back with me."

Hadrian was quiet for a moment. Deep in thought as he looked to Tomoe than Amelia.

"You're afraid of her," Amelia spoke up.

"Excuse me?" he eyed her.

Tomoe stared at the elderly woman.

"You've always been afraid of her, Hadrian," she set her cup down.

"Shut your mouth!" his rage began to grow.

"I see now why you yourself haven't actually gone after her. You send all these people out to get her hoping they'll dispatch her and you won't have to face her, but she's too powerful for that."

"You don't know what you're talking about. She doesn't deserve me presence," he spat, "I at least thought Tomoe was good enough for the job."

Tomoe shot him a glance. Fury burning in her eyes.

"You're afraid that way you do eventually face her she'll have become more powerful. You always knew that she was the better of you two. That whatever you could do she could better."

"Stop," Amelia could see she was getting to him.

"Especially after the night you murdered her brother and sister; my niece and nephew. You saw it than," she smiled, "The pure power running through her. You even felt it. It's why you fled. The power you saw in her scared you straight to your core. And you've been hiding ever since."

"Shutup!" he screamed at Amelia. It shook the building. Yet she was defiant. She wouldn't back away from him.

Before he could punish the foolish woman they were interrupted.

"What?" he roared at his subordinate.

"We've found your sister."

Amelia's heart sank. This wasn't good. _Shit. Who told them? Everyone in that hospital will be slaughtered. _

The news seemed to take Hadrian by surprise. He was expecting it to be about Fallon or Lisbeth, but he had been looking for his sister for so long that he was beginning to believe he'd never find her.

"Where?" he finally swallowed.

"St. Mungo's."

"Come on Tomoe. We have business to attend to," and with that he swept from the room.

"Tomoe!" Amelia grabbed the young witch, "I don't believe you're that evil," she searched her eyes, "We both know that if gets into St. Mungo's he'll slaughter everyone. Innocent people."

Tomoe didn't answer Amelia, "Do something. Don't let him continue this."

But Tomoe wretched her arm out of Amelia's grip and walked out of the room. Amelia had to steady herself on the table. Hadrian might be a coward, but he was always crazy and he'd murder everyone just to get his sister.

"Ah! Amelia I have been looking all over for you!" she heard a familiar voice behind her. Amelia turned at came face to face with Artorious beaming at her from a painting.

"Artorious!" she screamed with delight, "How did you get into that painting?"

"The Baroness and I like to switch from time to time. It gets awfully boring staying in one painting all the time."

"It took you this long to find me?!" she scolded him.

"Well if you'll excuse me," he cried, "I couldn't just ignore other paintings I went to. Would be very rude to not at least stop and say hello."

"We'll talk about this later," she said, "I need to you relay a message immediately to Fallon."

"How?" he asked, "She has a portrait of my dog in her flat. Not me."

"Well then give it to the dog," she snapped, "This is important so please listen."

When she finished she saw the rare seriousness come into Artorious's face; without a word he was gone.


	20. Encounters

The hospital was quiet when Hadrian and his followers appeared. The street was empty and the lights in the surrounding buildings were out. He froze for a moment.

_This isn't right. _

"We shouldn't…" he was cut off.

"Get out of the fucking road!" a man in a delivery truck shouted. He laid on his horn as he came to a stop; "Move!" he shouted waving his arm out the window.

The street suddenly came to life again. The anxiety and suspicion that filled Hadrian was gone. He smiled, shaking his head at the driver before stepping across the street and into the shattered window.

"I'm sorry sir!" the receptionist called out, "You have to sign in first."

He shot her a glance and she quickly cowered. The dark wizard nodded to one of his followers. It a matter of seconds they had swept across the first floor and taken control.

"Now!" his voice boomed, "You are to stay right where you are. If you move," he smiled, "I'll kill you."

They moved into the lifts and made their way to the 4th floor.

"Are you sure Fallon won't be here?" he was asked. His smile turned into a snarl, "I mean after all this time. I think it is very doubtful she'd just leave your sister a lone."

The 4th floor was filled with people going about their daily business. Hadrian's snarl turned into a dark grin. He walked down the corridor, flicking his wand and instantly killing 3 healers in his wake.

His followers snickered as he struck down another healer and then a visiting relative. They all went down without a fight, but that caused concern for Hadrian because although he was outright killing these people not one of the others around them seemed to notice and instead continued on their way.

"Check that body!" he shouted. A female follower grabbed one of the bodies and rolled it over and jumped back, "What the fuck?!"

The body was faceless. They checked the rest of the people and bodies. They were all faceless.

"Show yourself, Fallon!" Hadrian commanded, "Stop being a coward."

"I'm not the coward," she was seated on a bench at the end of the hall. She was dressed in a slim fitted black 3 piece suit with a charcoal tie. She shut her pocket watch, slipped it back into her pocket and stood. Her shoes clicked on the tiled floor; echoing throughout the hall.

"I'm right here, Hadrian," she opened her arms, "Show me your best."

He gritted his teeth, slammed his foot into the ground and shot out his wand; a blast of fire erupted from the tip, but passed directly through her. His eyes grew wide.

The transparent Fallon chuckled, "You'll have to do better than that." She shot out her hand and slammed it towards the ground. One of Hadrian's followers slammed into the ground, a pool of blood forming around their head.

"You might want to call back your dogs or you'll be without any very quickly."

They didn't need to be told twice and quickly backed down, "This fight is between you and me Hadrian. It is long overdue don't you think," she lit a cigarette.

"It isn't exactly fair since you're a ghost," he threw a pen at her head and it sailed straight through.

"Since when do you care about fairness," smoke billowed from her nose and mouth, "If you're so great you should be able to figure a way around this."

Hadrian knew his former friend was taunting him. His exterior was collected, but his blood was boiling. If he could just kill her then nothing would be stopping him. He could accomplish what he had been trying to do for years. But this wasn't that easy; she wasn't that easy.

Fallon had his followers petrified so he was just relying on himself and that was fine. This fight wasn't between her and his followers it was between the Auror and the demon.

"Where's my sister?" he asked.

"Oh, she's here," Fallon nodded, "She knows you're here too."

* * *

Lisbeth sat stirring in the Leaky Cauldron. Fallon had forbid her from coming with her to St. Mungo's. She had a complete guard with her which she had begged Fallon to drop, but the Auror refused.

The young Swede wanted to see Hadrian and Fallon. She wanted to make sure her witch was safe, but instead she sat reading over the same issue of the Daily Prophet for the last 2 hours, and still no word from or about Fallon. She knew her guard wasn't going to give her any information. They were afraid of her, but they feared and respected Fallon more.

* * *

Harry, Crispin, Isolde and Denis all sat in waiting in a building directly across from St. Mungo's. They weren't to interfere until given the signal. Nearly 2 hours had passed since Hadrian had entered the hospital.

"I hate all this waiting," muttered Denis.

"We all do," quipped Harry, "But I trust Fallon with this. Hadrian is only after her and his sister. Fallon can handle herself and she needs us she knows what to do."

"What do you think is going on in there?" said Crispin looking out the window into the street.

"Knowing them," smiled Isolde, "Trading insults."

* * *

Lisbeth stood, and 3 guards immediately stood too. She glared, "I'm going to pee," she gritted her teeth, "I don't need a fucking chaperone."

They nodded and sat back down. Lisbeth entered the toilet and turned on the faucet.

"What the fuck makes you so special to her?" a stall door opened and out walked a tall slender, Japanese woman. She wore boots, jeans, a sweater and a knee length jacket.

"I don't see it," she leaned on the stall frame, staring at Lisbeth threw the mirror, "But she sees it. You're not outgoing, you're a fucking hermit with more social anxieties than most dysfunctional people and yet you have her smitten."

Lisbeth remained quiet as she was bombarded with insults.

"You've managed to bed one of the most powerful, well respected and might add one of the better looking witches to grace this earth."

"Who are you?" Lisbeth finally turned to her.

"Guess you don't know Fallon as well as one might think," the Japanese woman smiled, "You never discussed her past relationships? She knows an awful lot about you, but how much do you know about her?"

Lisbeth knew this mystery woman was right. She didn't know all that much or really anything about her lover. Fallon could paint a family picture of Lisbeth, but Lisbeth couldn't do the same.

"I'm Tomoe," she stepped closer, "We have something in common," she leaned in close to Lisbeth, "We've both fucked Fallon."

Those words hit Lisbeth hard for some reason and jealously shot through her. Her grip on the sink tightened.

"Everything ok in there Lisbeth?" an Auror knocked on the door.

They both looked to the door. The hacker could have easily said no and Tomoe would be dead in a matter of seconds, but she held her breath.

Tomoe raised her eyebrows at Lisbeth, "Yes everything is fine," Lisbeth responded.

"How long?" Lisbeth inquired.

"Do you really want to know all the details of me and Fallon?" she asked, "So you finally know something about her?"

"Yes," Lisbeth answered.

"Guess it is story time," Tomoe smiled.


	21. Memories

Tomoe held out her hand. Lisbeth showed no signs of anxiety, but internally she was reeling. This woman was a mystery. She just came out a bathroom stall and now she wanted the hacker to take her hand.

_I can't trust her. But I want to know more. _

"Well?" she cocked her head.

_Fuck it. Fuck Fallon. _

Lisbeth reached out and took the Japanese woman's hand and once again they were sucked through a garden hose to who knew where. In a matter of seconds the two women were standing on solid ground. Lisbeth's first clean arrival, but her stomach still wanted to come up through her throat.

She had no idea as to where they were. It was obviously someone's home. It too looked like something from a fore gone century. The furnishing were lush and lavish; expensive and very old, but still in magnificent shape.

"Incase you're wondering this is Fallon's family estate. Well the English sides' anyway," she strode across the study toward a cabinet, "Please sit down. This will take a moment."

Lisbeth sat down in one of the cushioned armchairs and watched Tomoe closely. The witch opened the ornately carved cabinet and out floated a familiar vessel.

_The penseive. _

Tomoe withdrew her wand and placed it to her temple and slowly began to pull silver milky strands from it and into the basin they went mixing with the watery liquid. She turned and with a wave of her hand the basin came to float in front of Lisbeth.

* * *

The cigarette was now almost down to the filter. They were waiting one another out. Finally after minutes of silence Fallon broke the silence.

"I'm growing tired of all this, Hadrian," she drew one last drag; examined the cigarette and then flicked it into the corridor as she did this she drew her wand and with quick flick of her wrist lightning shot from the tip. Hadrian was quick on the counter and diverted the bolts to the lights overhead blowing them to pieces.

The corridor went dark. Hadrian wasted no time in countering with a slash spell. Fallon managed to avoid it at that last second. It struck the bench she had been sitting on not long before. The bench split cleanly. As Fallon stood she slammed her foot into the floor creating a shockwave and at the same time clapped her hands together created another one. The two massive shockwaves tore through the corridor knocking Hadrian's followers back to the lift and bringing the dark wizard to his knees.

"You've have to do better than that old friend," Hadrian chuckled. Something sliced through the side of Fallon's leg. She dropped to the ground as she felt blood begin to pour down her leg. A large metal spike protruded from the wall. She rolled away as another came up where her face had just been. A wave of them were coming at her. The witch tucked into a ball and was surrounded by a thick stone shield as the wave slammed into her.

As she unraveled herself she flicked her wand, the spell cast collided with Hadrian and sent him reeling. This gave her time to drag herself to her feet and assess the damage to her leg. The puncture wound was deep, but she'd live.

Hadrian stood gripping his chest and blood poured from behind his hand. Anger was raging behind his eyes. He raised his wand, but before the spell could be cast both of them were thrown sideways as a massive shockwave ripped through the corridor.

"You coward!" a voice howled. From the destroyed doors appeared Allande. She was wrapped only in a simple dress and sweater. Her hair was in disarray, but her eyes were wild as she stood in front of Fallon and stared down her brother. From where Fallon lay she could see Sgrion's mark blazing on Allande's neck.

"HADRIAN!" the voice that emanated from her body was other worldly. It sent a chill down Fallon's spine. She had never seen the young girl like this.

Hadrian's eyes were wide as he looked upon his sister for the first time in many years. She was wild and unkempt. Years of living in St. Mungo's left only a shell of his former sister. Allande was once a beautiful witch with raven black hair and piercing green eyes. The good looks had not evaded her, but Armant's curse was stronger on her will than most and had begun to take its toll long before she was brought to the hospital.

"Allande," Fallon called out to her, but she didn't seem to hear her. But as Fallon stood she knew immediately something was wrong. She looked past the young witch to Hadrian who had turned ghostly white and simply stared at her.

Allande began to laugh this bone chilling cackle, "You tried to stop me. Silly brother," she smirked raising her arms towards him, "You're not strong enough for that." Vines shot from her fingers tip and before his followers could evade them they had wrapped themselves around 3 of them and hoisted them into the air.

They struggled against the constricting vines, but every time they struggled or took a breath the vines got tighter and tighter. Fallon's eyes flicked from her to Hadrian. The former friends both seemed at a loose of what to do. Allande was out of control.

"I should have killed you years ago!" Hadrian shouted at her as he watched his followers die.

"No one believed you then and no one believes you now," she laughed at him dropping the bodies to the floor.

"You became a monster and no one saw it!" he pointed his wand at her, "Avada Kedavra!" but his wand fizzled.

"What the fuck?" he looked at her.

"Allande stop this!" Fallon raised a hand to grab her, "He'll be arrested and tried for what he's done to everyone."

"I think it's time I've come clean, Fallon," she turned to face her, "After all these years of you being so good to me; promising me my brother's head on a silver platter."

"What are you talking about?" Fallon asked.

"Hadrian has been like a good member of the family continuing our sworn duty to destroy all those descendants of Armant."

"But…" the Auror didn't understand.

"Think about it Fallon. Think very hard."

Fallon stared at Allande for a moment then to Hadrian. She remembered the night Hadrian murdered his family. She was there. She had tried to stop him. He looked at her and apologized before a blinding white light and then they were all dead except for...

"You?" Fallon looked at her in horror.

"Very good," Allande laughed.

* * *

_Lisbeth dropped into the Gryffindor common room and saw Fallon sitting near the fire looking at some bits of parchment. She was probably no more than 15 or 16. With the same short unkempt hair, striking features and already sporting a few tattoos beneath her sweater. _

"_Not going home for Christmas again, Fallon?" Lisbeth saw Tomoe enter the scene and drop herself into a cushiony armchair next to her friend._

"_I know," the young witch smiled putting the notes aside and picking up a mug of hot chocolate. _

"_Why?" Tomoe pried, "We've been friends for a few years now and every holiday you're here." _

"_You don't go home either," Fallon teased avoiding the question. _

"_I'm tired of going to Japan for Christmas. Besides I enjoy our Christmas's together." _

_That statement struck a nerve with Lisbeth. She was insanely jealous of this girl. _

"_That's because we basically get to do whatever we want," she sipped down some hot chocolate. _

"_So what's the plan this year?" the young witch smiled as her friend finished off her hot chocolate._

"_Hogmeade? Maybe a wander through the Dark Forest?"  
_

"_I like it. Always a nice bit of excitement with you," the Japanese girl smiled._

_Neither one would admit it, but the butterflies were welling in them both. The feelings had been brewing for awhile now, but both were afraid that these new feelings would ruin their friendship._

* * *

"_Welcome first years to the Defense Against the Dark Arts!" shouted their Professor Drua Bohun. She was a beautiful young German woman; blonde hair and blue eyes. They would later come to find out just how feisty and powerful she could be. _

_The moment Fallon laid eyes on her she was smitten. 7 years of chasing began that day in class. Lisbeth was standing off to the side viewing all of this and she could see just how much the young witch was drooling over this woman. She smiled and shook her head. _

_She also noticed that 2 students stood off from the others. It was a very young Fallon Calvaria and Hadrian Pravus. _

"_Alright we're going to split off into groups of 3. So make new friends and create your groups."_

_Hadrian and Fallon didn't move and the other students made no effort to join their group. Lisbeth saw they almost seemed to be afraid of them. _

"_What's this?" she looked over to them, "You two aren't very good at math. Count yourselves? How many of are there in your group?"_

"_2," Fallon chirped._

"_Exactly," she held up three fingers, "I need three of you in a group. Not 2."_

_She looked around the other groups and saw a lone student standing behind the mass of them, "You!" she called out, "Come forward," the only Japanese girl in the entire class stepped forward. _

"_What's your name, girl?" Professor Bohun asked._

"_Tomoe Gozen," she answered quickly._

"_Ok Ms. Gozen," she pointed to Hadrian and Fallon, "Here's your group."_

* * *

"_Fallon wait up!" Lisbeth was now standing within a massive forest surround by dark trees. Fallon sprinted by her and then Tomoe. _

"_Come on now!" Fallon laughed, "Keep up!" _

"_You're too fast!" Tomoe shouted, "Slow the fuck down!" _

_Lisbeth followed after them. _

"_I'm going to throw up my dinner if we keep this up!"_

"_Suck it up!" she heard Fallon shout. _

_They entered a clearing in the woods. It was just Tomoe and Lisbeth. No sign of Fallon. It was very quiet. Tomoe looked around and Lisbeth could see her begin to get worried. _

"_Fallon?" she said just above a whisper into the darkness, but received no answer. _

_She waited a few more moments making her way around the clearing, "Fallon?!" this time more urgent. Still no answer._

"_Fallon!" she called out, "Fallon!" she backed up towards a tree as a branch snapped close by, "This isn't funny, Fallon!"_

_Fallon appeared and pinned her against the tree, "Scared?" Fallon breathed. _

_Tomoe jumped and pressed herself against tree, "No," she whispered. The two were silent for a moment; staring at one another. Fallon looked down and saw Tomoe take a hold of her shirt. Fallon breathed and looked Tomoe in the eyes. The future Auror leaned in and tentatively kissed her friend on the lips slowly pulling away. _

_Lisbeth's heart was in her throat watching this scene between the two. Tomoe's hand gently cupped Fallon's cheek and Fallon's hand rested on Tomoe's hip squeezing it just a little bit. Tomoe pulled Fallon towards her and kissed her passionately. _

* * *

Lisbeth was back in the study. She immediately stood and moved away from Tomoe. The young swede wanted to vomit. She held her hand over her mouth and looked at Tomoe who stood with arms folded and a smirk on her face.

"Interesting isn't it?"

Lisbeth continued to stare at her.

"There's more if you want to see?" Tomoe pointed to the basin again.

Lisbeth nodded and slowly took her seat again.

* * *

_"_Lisbeth!" the Auror's pounded on the lavatory door, but received no answer, "Lisbeth!" it had been nearly an hour since their charge had gone to pee.

They broke open the door to find the toilet empty.

"Shit!" the main guard breathed.


	22. Time to Explain

The Aurors still waiting for the signal heard the explosion rip through the hospital, but still remained in the building across from the hospital waiting patiently.

"Harry!" hissed Denis, "Something could be going terribly wrong!"

"You hold your ground!" shouted Harry.

"Fuck this," Crispin muttered and apparated to the street below. Harry, Denis, and Isolde were on his heels.

"Crispin!" shouted Harry. They reached him as his right foot stepped inside the window and as the wall above them blew out; showering them with debris.

"What the fuck?!" Crispin looked up, but couldn't see anything. They were still too far below to see anything. They rushed into the hospital and made their way to the lifts.

"Harry!" shouted Jocelyn rushing over to them.

"What's going on in here?" he asked her.

"Upstairs. Hadrian came for Allande, but it's like they let loose a damned dragon up there. No one has been able to access the floor since they arrived," she informed them.

* * *

"How?!" Fallon was now on her feet. Allande had stopped levitating and stood before her former guardian.

"You think I would let this power go to waste?" she laughed, "Incase you haven't noticed I've stripped my brother of his magical powers."

"You're sick, Allande," Fallon pleaded with her, "It's the curse. It's taken over you."

"Not entirely," she admitted, "I'm fully aware of what's going on. I'm going to continue Armant's cause."

"It's genocide."

"I will succeed where so many others have failed," she tried reasoning, "Don't you see the opportunity? Voldemort and Grindelwald wanted muggles as slaves. I want them eradicated."

Fallon grabbed hold of her, "Allande listen to me!" her grip tightened, "This power is dangerous. It's already done too much damage."

Fallon couldn't believe her eyes; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had safe guarded this girl for years. Defended her against the madness that she thought was her brother. Hunted down now innocent people and now everything she knew and defended was turned upside down.

Harry and the other Aurors were too unable to access the 4th floor. He cursed banging his fist on the grate before the descended back down the lift and back into the street. They looked into the hole that was blown out of the hotel and could see Allande and Fallon.

"What is going on?" Harry stared.

"I don't see Hadrian," Denis narrowed his eyes.

"You can't stop me, Fallon," before Fallon could blink Allande's grip was around her throat and they both were lifting into the air. Fallon grabbed hold of Allande's hand and tried to pry it off, but no means of pure strength or magic were using.

They levitated out over the street. Over Harry and the other Aurors, "If you cast any spells…Fallon will die," she warned them down below.

"Thank you for everything that you've done, Fallon. Truly I am in your debt. To think all these years I was able to recoup my losses right under everyone. And I have you to thank. Keeping me safe all those years," she laughed; her grip tightening, "But you are my biggest threat. So you know where that leaves us…"

"Allande," Fallon looked right into her eyes, "Please…you don't have to do this," she pleaded clawing at the girl's hand, her feet dangling high above the street, "You're sick. I can help."

"There is a way you can help me," she said, "Where is the dagger?"

But Fallon didn't answer.

"Hmmm...poor choice."

* * *

"Are you sure you want to see more?" Tomoe sat down.

Lisbeth eyed the Japanese woman up and down. Her looks, what she was wearing to her personality.

_What happened between these two?_

_That last memory they were so happy and now they're against one another. What would cause something that dramatic?_

While Lisbeth was pondering over these thoughts Tomoe had pulled another memory and let it into the basin.

"Go on," she nodded.

"_Welcome!" cried a tall professor at the front of the Great Hall. He stood atop a long platform that nearly ran the length of the hall. Many students had gathered around; ranging from first years to seventh years. _

"_Are you ready to duel?!" his voice boomed. The crowd around the platform began cheering and pounding in excitement on the platform._

"_Alright," he smiled, "Alright calm yourselves my students. Now each house selected 2 students from each year they would like to see duel one another. Are you ready for our first pair?" _

"_Yes!" a collective voice rang out. _

_He snapped his fingers above his head, there was a spark and a slip of parchment appeared. The professor unfolded it and smiled, "Gryffindor! Your seventh years are up first and what a surprise it will be between Hadrian Parvus and Fallon Calvaria."_

_Cheers erupted in the Great Hall. She saw them make their way through the crowd. Tomoe holding Fallon's hand. She kissed the future Auror good luck before the two friends hopped up onto the stage. Lisbeth now saw the real beginnings of the two wizards that would come to rule her life. They both had come into their own. Hadrian with his stunning good looks, striking features and a very charismatic personality. _

_Then there was Fallon with the same untamed hair, the tattoos had started to come along nicely and her piercings were already done. A smile that Lisbeth had never seen before crossed her future lover's face. Lisbeth knew this was before all the madness begun before the two wizards would become bitter rivals. Fallon was happy; truly happy. _

_The two best friends shook one another's hands and went to their separate ends of the platform._

"_Wands at the ready," the Professor smiled. Fallon and Hadrian smiled at one another as they took their stances both were unique. _

_Hadrian was the first to strike. He cast a spell that was an intense beam of red light, Fallon needed to conjure a massive shield to deflect it. _

"_Aqua Eructo!" shouted Fallon. A sharp jet of water shot from the tip of her wand. Hadrian avoided it, but it caught part of his robes; slicing through the sleeve. _

_From what Lisbeth was hearing from the students around her Hadrian and Fallon were quite popular at Hogwarts and had managed to master a bit of rare and powerful magic including non-verbal and non-wand magic. _

_Fallon shot her wand out again and from the tip sprang numerous ropes that quickly ensnared Hadrian dragging him towards the witch. He struggled against them. He managed to free his wand hand and with a quick flick the ropes were sliced and he was free. _

"_You have 2 minutes left," warned their Professor. This elicited to massive smiles from the friends. _

"_Shall we, Hadrian?" smiled Fallon._

"_We shall," smiled Hadrian. The two bowed to one another and slipped their wands away. The professor's eyes grew wide and there were gasps from the crowd. _

_What took place next between the two was more of a series of dance moves that caused insane spells to be cast; the dance was silent aside from the sudden bangs or thuds. _

"_That's enough!" the Professor stepped between the two. They were both breathing heavily with a few minor injuries between the two. The professor looked concern, but Fallon and Hadrian were laughing at one another. _

_They stepped off the platform. Tomoe looked over both of them. _

"_You're going to kill one another one day, you know that?" she said examining a cut to Fallon's eyebrow. _

"That wasn't even one of their more intense duels," Lisbeth found herself back in the study. Tomoe had made herself a cup of tea.

"Watching them two fight one another was like it was to imagine a fight between Titans," she took a sip, "Even back then the teachers of Hogwarts were all too aware of just how powerful two of their students were. I think it frightened them."

"What happened between Fallon and Hadrian?" Lisbeth asked.

"That memory I don't have," she looked at Lisbeth, "You'll have to ask Fallon, but I don't think she'll show you."

"Why?"

"She has buried that very dark day buried so deep in her mind that I don't think even she remembers it."

* * *

Fallon could see Hadrian standing at the gaping hole in the building watching her and Allande. His eyes said that he wanted to help, but with his magic abilities gone he didn't know how.

Allande's grip around Fallon's throat was beginning to tighten more and more and Fallon could feel herself losing consciousness. She was done trying to reason with the crazed girl. Right now all she wanted was her dead.

"You're quiet all of a sudden, Fallon. Something wrong?" Allande asked, mockingly.

"No," she replied, "Just enjoying the view."

"Accepting your fate?"

Fallon smiled, "That has never been one of my strong points," she laughed. With the last of her strength she dropped one her hands and made it into a fist, and punched Allande as hard as she could in the throat. The sudden shock loosened the witch's grip on the Auror. Allande was not expecting a non-magical attack.

"Go to hell," she smiled and as she fell to the ground she slammed a knife into Allande's heart, "Evanesco."

Before Allande could fully comprehend what was going on she was gone; disappeared into thin air. Fallon dropped out of the sky, but thankfully to her fellow aurors on the ground she was caught and landed gently.

"Hell Fallon!" Denis ran over to her, "Are you okay?"

"Yea," she said rubbing her throat, "But she'll be back. Just don't know when."

"Where'd you send her?"

"Hell," she laughed.

Hadrian was being dragged out into the street, "Let him go!" she demanded.

His restraints had not been off for than 2 seconds before she charged him and slammed him into the ground, "You son of a bitch!" she shouted at him, "What the fuck was that?!"

"Fallon," he started.

"Why didn't you tell me? You knew about her all these years?! And not one word?! I've been hunting you and it was her that I should have been after!"

"Fuck off!" he shouted and slammed her into the ground, "Incase you haven't noticed she had everyone fooled including yourself," he said, "She can control a lot of things, Fallon. For starters…people's minds."

"We just going to let them wrestle around like that, Harry?" Isolde pointed to the two former friends rolling around, slamming one another into the ground and yelling at each other.

"Just give them a minute," he waved his hand, "They'll sort it out."

"I couldn't risk others getting hurt if she knew others were onto her besides me," he said, "She's not even fully aware of what she's capable of."

Fallon stared at her friend and then suddenly punched him right in the face. Hadrian stumbled back clutching his now bleeding nose, "Fuck Fallon!"

"That is long overdue," she breathed, "And for trying to kill my girlfriend."

"Can we go someplace and talk about all this?" he pinched his nose, "There's a lot to explain."

* * *

"What happened between you two?" Lisbeth looked up at Tomoe.

"That's a long story too," she said. It seemed to strike a nerve with her, "Do you want to hear it?"

Lisbeth didn't hesitate to nod. Tomoe nodded putting her wand to her temple, "I'm not sorry for what you're about to see."


End file.
